45 cases and one fatality this year rank Boulder County third nationwide
Boulder County has the third highest count of West Nile cases in the nation, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
There have been 45 human cases of West Nile virus this year, including one fatality.
Avoiding West Nile
The best way to stay away from West Nile is to remember the four D’s: deet, dress, dusk to dawn and drain.
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>> Wear insect repellent containing deet outside in the evenings.
>> Dress appropriately outside at night by wearing long sleeves and pants when possible.
>> Avoid standing water and drains.
The county has a high number of cases because of irrigated crop land and large populations. Boulder’s high average temperatures and significant moisture is an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes of the genus Culex, which are responsible for carrying the virus. If you notice the presence of mosquitoes in your property, you may contact professional pest control services to protect your family from these disease-carrying insects.
The city now focuses on controlling the Culex mosquito larvae, especially around areas where West Nile Virus infected mosquitoes reside. Areas with the Culex larvae are treated with a biological insecticide.
At this point in time, there is no specific treatment for the virus.
“There is really nothing we can do about it,” said Sandra Sonoda, a nurse at Wardenburg Health Center.
Virus symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, body aches, swollen lymph glands and possible body rash in the pelvic region.
“It was very uncomfortable. All of my muscles ached all the time and I had a headache all the time — it made (me) feel very old,” said Jahnavi Stenflo, 39, a Boulder County resident who contracted West Nile Virus. “I usually have the energy level of a 25-year-old. I’ve never felt that way before.”
If infected with West Nile Virus, symptoms will most likely appear within two to 15 days, if they appear at all. Only one of five people infected will ever show any symptoms, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
West Nile season is not over yet. With over a month of prime season to go, cases could continue to occur through October.
Contact Campus Press staff writer Cameron Naish at cameron.naish@colorado.edu
