West Nile Virus confirmed in Carson City

West Nile Virus has been confirmed in Carson City mosquito testing, according to the city government’s Health and Human Services Department.

The Nevada Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of it via early September testing of wetlands, ditches and other small bodies of water but no case of it in a human has been found.

“(O)f the samples collected so far the virus is present in one of the test sites,” according to a news release put out by HHS Epidemiologist Dustin Boothe. Boothe said that test site was in a rural area along the Carson River.

Carson City’s HHS environmental health specialists plan to treat areas this week to keep the virus from spreading, according to Boothe, who also indicated mosquito surveillance and abatement activities already were conducted various times this summer. They are ongoing, and HHS issued reminders about precautions residents can take to protect themselves and prevent increased mosquito populations where they live.

They include: Clear yard areas of free-standing water that could provide mosquito breeding places; wear long sleeves and pants in mosquito-prone places; use mosquito repellent containing DEET; Picaridin; Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, or IR3535, following label precautions; repair window screens to keep mosquitoes at bay; vaccinate horses for Western Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus, and report night mosquito activity to HHS.

People may make such reports by calling 887-2190.

The disease is transmitted when mosquitoes feed on infected birds and pass it on to other birds, animals and people. It isn’t spread person-to-person by contact.

Some infected people may have no symptoms, but 20 percent will develop a flu-like illness and less than one percent of those infected will develop a serious neurological condition such as encephalitis of meningitis. If you exhibit symptoms of neurological illness, HHS said, seek medical treatment. Symptoms include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, tremors, seizures or paralysis.

Boothe said the national Center for Disease Control reports that one case of West Nile Virus in a human being has occurred this year in the state in the southern part of Nevada.