Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County Public Health has confirmed that mosquitoes in a mosquito pool in Boulder have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). The positive pool came from traps located at the city of Boulder: Stazio Ballfield and Christensen Park. Positive mosquito pools have been confirmed in five other Colorado counties this year: Denver, Jefferson, Larimer, Pueblo and Weld counties.
“This is the first positive pool in Boulder County but we are seeing higher than our historic average mosquito counts for this time of year,” said Lane Drager, Boulder County Public Health Consumer Protection program coordinator. “So, no matter where you live, now is the time to be proactive in protecting ourselves and our families from West Nile virus.”
WNV is transmitted to humans from the bite of an infected mosquito. While most infections are mild, the more serious infections can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and/or meningitis (inflammation of the brain's lining), loss of vision, paralysis, coma, tremors, convulsions, and death.
Symptoms of WNV include fever, extreme fatigue, headache, body aches, and occasionally can also include skin rashes and swollen lymph nodes. Generally, symptoms appear 3 to 14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Anyone who experiences these symptoms should consult their health care providers.
There is no treatment, cure, or human vaccination for the virus. Health care providers can only treat the symptoms to help patients feel better and possibly recover more quickly.
Boulder County Public Health officials urge residents to take necessary precautions to protect themselves. Keep safe this summer, and remember the 4Ds:
- Use DEET-enhanced insect repellent or alternative.
- DRESS in long sleeves and pants.
- Avoid the outdoors from DUSK until DAWN.
- DRAIN standing water outside your home.
Generally, the mosquito season extends from late April until mid-October, with the end usually signaled by the first freeze in the fall.
As of July 14, there has been one human case of WNV reported in Colorado. Nationally, twelve cases have been reported in Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming so far this season.
In 2014, there were 11 cases of the disease in Boulder County, 118 cases in Colorado, and 2,205 nationally.
For more information about West Nile virus, mosquito activity in Boulder County, or steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones, visit www.BoulderCountyMosquito.net or call the Colorado Health Information Line at 1-877-462-2911. To report nuisance mosquitoes, click on “Mosquito Complaints” in the “What you Can Do” section on the website.
-www.BoulderCountyMosquito.net-
