Seven News. Bernalillo County has reported its first West Nile Virus death this year. The woman who died was 65 years old, according to the county’s Environmental Health Department. She is one of two people in the county who have tested positive for the virus. Officials said they also found mosquitoes that tested positive for West Nile Virus. The virus has been confirmed in the county, and symptoms include:
First case of West Nile virus discovered in Bernalillo County
The City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County announced the first human cases of West Nile virus in the county. Two cases have been found in Bernalillo County, one of which has resulted in a death, according to the city’s Department of Environmental Health. The city said routine testing has also detected mosquitoes that tested positive for West Nile virus throughout the city. Symptoms of West Nile virus include fever, nausea, headache and muscle aches. People over the age of 60 are at highest risk for severe illness. To minimize the chance of mosquito bites and mosquito bites, the city recommends the following: Use insect repellent on exposed skin and clothing when outdoors. The Centers for Disease Control recommends proven effective insect repellents, including DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535 for skin and permethrin for clothing. When using insect repellents, be sure to follow the label instructions. Consider reducing your exposure to mosquitoes by not scheduling outdoor activities during dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active at biting. Remove puddles where mosquitoes can lay eggs, such as old tires, and regularly change the water in bird baths, watering pools, and pet water bowls. Make sure rainwater tanks are tightly screened. If you use flood irrigation, don’t allow water to stand for more than a few days. Keep windows and doors that don’t have screens closed. If you leave doors and windows in your home open, make sure they have tight-fitting, hole-free screens.
The City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County announced the county’s first confirmed case of West Nile virus.
Two cases have been found in Bernalillo County, including one death, according to the city’s Environmental Health Department.
The city said routine testing has also detected West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes throughout the city.
Symptoms of West Nile Virus include fever, nausea, headache, and muscle aches. People over 60 years of age are at highest risk for severe illness.
To minimize mosquito bites and exposure, the City recommends:
- When you’re outdoors, use insect repellent on exposed skin and clothing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends repellents with proven effectiveness, including those containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, and IR3535 for use on skin and those containing permethrin for use on clothing. When using repellents, always follow the label instructions.
- Consider limiting your risk of exposure to mosquitoes by not scheduling outdoor activities during dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active in biting.
- Eliminate pools of water where mosquitoes can lay their eggs, such as old tires, and regularly change the water in bird baths, water pools and pet water bowls. Make sure your rainwater tanks have tight-fitting screens.
- If flood irrigation is used, do not allow water to stand for more than a few days.
- Keep windows and doors that don’t have screens closed. If you leave doors or windows in your home open, make sure they have screens that fit tightly and don’t have any holes.
