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The resident of Stamford, aged 80-89, was recently admitted to Stamford Hospital, and is still hospitalized. Dr. Johnnie Lee, Director of Health and Social Services for the City of Stamford explains, "Even though the elderly are at greatest risk for complications of West Nile Virus infection, individuals of any age should take precautions regarding exposure to West Nile Virus. That is why it is so important for all residents to seek medical attention should they develop symptoms that could be due to West Nile Virus infection." Dr. Lee stresses, "it is imperative that all residents avoid contact with mosquitoes and use insect repellant according to the label instructions, when outside for work or recreation." Most who are infected with WNV will not show any symptoms at all. Up to 20 percent of the people who become infected have symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash. Symptoms can last for as short as a few days, though even healthy people have become sick for several weeks. A smaller number of people infected will develop more severe symptoms including high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. These symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent. Precautions to avoid mosquito bites Include: *Minimize time outdoors at dusk and dawn. *Be sure door and window screens are tight fitting and in good repairs *Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts. Clothing material should be tightly woven. *Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors. *Consider using mosquito repellent when it is necessary to be outdoors and always use them according to label instructions. When using DEFT (the most widely used insect repellent), use the lowest concentration effective for the time spent outdoors (for example, 6% lasts approximately 2 hours and 20% for 4 hours) and wash treated skin when returning indoors. Do not apply under clothing, to wounds or irritated skin, the hands of children, or to infants less than 2 months. Measures to reduce mosquitoes around the home include: *Dispose of water-holding containers, such as ceramic pots, used tires, tire swings *Drill holes in the bottom of containers such as those used for recycling *Clean clogged roof gutters *Turn over objects that may trap water when not in use such as wading pools and wheelbarrows *Change water in bird baths on a weekly basis *Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, and when not in use, pool covers *Use landscaping to eliminate areas where water can collect on your property. Additional resources for information on West Nile virus and mosquito management include: - City of Stamford website: www.citvofstamford.orq - The Department of Public Health website at http://dph.state_ct.us - The Department of Environmental Protection website at http://dep.state.ct.us or 24-hour (toll- free in Connecticut) recorded mosquito information line (866) WNVLINE (1-866-968-5463) - The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Web site at hftp://www.caes,state.ct-us - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www,cdc.qov © Copyright by StamfordPlus.com. Some articles and pictures posted on our website, as indicated by their bylines, were submitted as press releases and do not necessarily reflect the position and opinion of StamfordPlus.com, Stamford Plus magazine, Canaiden LLC or any of its associated entities. Articles may have been edited for brevity and grammar. Related Articles: State reports second Stamford resident positive for West Nile Virus - Sep 5, 2008 - 7:12 PM West Nile virus human case - Aug 29, 2008 - 7:01 PM What to do when your pup is under the weather - Aug 27, 2008 - 10:02 AM Bridgeport residents urged to take steps to avoid mosquito bites - Aug 26, 2008 - 3:08 PM CURRENT HEADLINES: Top of Page
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