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City boosts spraying for mosquitoes
August 27, 2009
A possible human case of West Nile virus in Columbia has prompted city officials to ramp up mosquito eradication efforts this week.City and county trucks have been spraying for mosquitoes the last few days, city officials said.
Test results on the blood sample from the possible West Nile case won’t be back from the lab until late this week, said Thom Berry, spokesman for the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
West Nile virus, first identified in the United States in 1999, is carried by mosquitoes.
There have been 82 confirmed cases of West Nile nationwide this year, none in South Carolina, according to Centers for Disease Control. Since 1999, there have been 21 confirmed cases in South Carolina.
Most people who are infected with West Nile virus don’t have any symptoms. About 20 percent develop mild fever, headaches and body aches, occasionally with a skin rash on the torso and swollen lymph glands for a few days.
Severe infections can cause West Nile encephalitis, a brain inflammation that can last several weeks and, in rare cases, can cause death. Three deaths nationwide this year have been blamed on West Nile. Since 1999, one death in South Carolina has been attributed to West Nile.
West Nile activity was much higher in 2008, with 1,356 confirmed cases and 44 deaths.
The State
By JOEY HOLLEMAN
jholleman@thestate.com
Reach Holleman at (803) 771-8366.
The west nile virus
One way to prevent the spread of West Nile virus is to reduce the mosquito population. While spraying is one method, people also can help by emptying standing water from outdoor pots and birdbaths, where mosquito larvae grow.If you leave your house, it’s impossible to avoid mosquitoes completely, but they are most active at night and twilight. Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, preferably in light colors, is a good strategy to avoid bites.
Mosquito repellents with DEET, Picaridan or oil of lemon eucalyptus are effective, according to federal health officials.