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Health District Urges Protection
against West Nile Virus
Press Release
May 20, 2005
La Marque
– Now that it is mosquito time in Galveston County
officials with the Galveston County Health District are once again
encouraging people to use insect repellant in the fight against West
Nile virus.
Mosquitoes possibly carrying the West Nile
virus (WNV) will once again be circulating in the county and one of the
first lines of defense against getting the illness, health officials
say, is using repellant containing DEET. “DEET is an effective
repellant that lasts much longer than other repellants,” said Dr. Dana
Beckham, Epidemiologist with the Health District. “People can
greatly reduce their risk when using DEET and reading and following all
product labeling.” Last year mosquitoes testing positive for the
virus were found in Galveston County along with14 horses diagnosed with
WNV infection. On a positive note, there was only one human case
of the illness reported in the county, and that patient recovered.
As in previous seasons dead bird testing will be conducted to determine
the presence of WNV in the county. “Dead bird testing is still
considered to be a good way to provide an early warning of the presence
of WNV in an area,” states Beckham. “We have a functioning dead
bird surveillance system already in place and can receive and test birds
for West Nile virus.” Birds to be tested will be dead blue jays, and
crows. The Galveston County Health District will accept birds for
testing at the following locations:
- Joe Vickery Animal Shelter, 3412 Loop 197 N., Texas City, (409)
948-2485
-
GCHD
Environmental Building, 1205 Oak Street, La Marque, (409) 938-2300
- GCHD Vital Statistics Office, Island Community Center, 4700
Broadway, Suite C100, Galveston, (409) 765-2515
Birds submitted for testing should be recently deceased (about 24
hours or less) and should be double bagged. Concerned residents
should collect a bird by placing a plastic bag over it, then place that
bag into another bag, and keep the dead bird cool with ice or
refrigeration until it is submitted to one of the offices listed.
Residents who find dead blue jays or crows and are unable to deliver
them to one of the locations may call the Galveston County Health
District Epidemiology Department at (409) 938-2322. For mosquito
related questions residents may call Galveston County Mosquito control
at (800) 842-5622.
While not every mosquito carries the virus, avoiding mosquito
bites is key to preventing West Nile illness. Health District
officials urge people to remember the
Four D’s to reduce the chance of becoming infected:
-
Dusk to Dawn –
stay indoors from dusk to dawn when those mosquitoes likely to carry
the infection are most active.
-
Dress – Dress in
long pants and long sleeves when you are outside, especially in
mosquito-infested areas.
-
DEET – Apply
insect repellant that contains DEET. Read and follow label
instructions. Spray both exposed skin and clothing with
repellant.
-
Drain – Get rid
of standing water in your yard and neighborhood. Old tires,
flowerpots, clogged rain gutters, leaky pipes and faucets, birdbaths
and wading pools can be breeding sites for mosquitoes.
Healthy kids, teens,
and adults under 50 years of age are at low risk of catching the virus.
If they do get the infection, most of them will have mild or no
symptoms. These symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat,
body aches and fatigue, occasionally with skin rash and swollen lymph
glands.
A small number of
the people who are infected with West Nile virus, usually elderly people
and those with immune system problems like HIV/AIDS or certain cancers,
are at greater risk to develop a more severe form of the infection
called encephalitis. Symptoms of more severe West Nile infections
include headache, high fever, stiff neck, disorientation, tremors,
convulsions, muscle weakness, coma and paralysis. Anyone with
these symptoms should contact their health care provider right away. Beckham states, “Our message has not changed. Be aware of West Nile virus,
but also know that the risk remains very low. Even in areas where
mosquitoes are more likely to be carrying the virus, it’s very unlikely that a
person will become sick from a mosquito bite. People can feel even safer
by following recommended precautions contained in the
Four D’s.”
For more
information, the public is encouraged to click on the West Nile Virus
information link on the Texas Department of State Health Services web
site at:
http://www.texaswestnile.org/.For More Information Contact:
Kurt Koopmann
Public Information Officer
Galveston County Health District
(409) 938-2211
kkoopman@gchd.org |
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