Southern Seven Health Department issued the following announcement on Aug. 7.
In July, Southern 7 Health Department reported the first case of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Southern Illinois was detected in a mosquito in Massac County. Although there are currently no known cases of West Nile reported in people of our area, Southern 7 urges everyone to continue to take precautions.
West Nile virus (WNV) is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States. It is most commonly spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. Cases of WNV occur during mosquito season, which starts in the summer and continues through fall.
There are no vaccines to prevent or medications to treat WNV in people. Fortunately, most people infected with WNV do not feel sick. About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. About 1 out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness. You can reduce your risk of WNV by using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants to prevent mosquito bites.
For more information, call BJ Newbury, Environmental Health Services Director for Southern 7 Health Department at 618-634-2297, ext. 110 or by visiting www.southern7.org.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Southern Seven Health Department
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