SOUTHERN COLORADO — El Paso County now has a total of two confirmed deaths from West Nile Virus this year, according to El Paso County Public Health Officials.
There are currently ten recorded cases in El Paso County and five cases in Pueblo County this year according to state health officials.
El Paso County and Pueblo Counties had no recorded cases of West Nile Virus last year.
Most people who become infected with West Nile Virus will experience no symptoms. One in five people, however, will have flu-like symptoms, beginning two to 14 days after exposure. Deadly neurologic illness occurs in less than one in 100 infected people, according to El Paso County Public Health.
Those at most risk include people 60 years or older and those with underlying medical conditions.
Here’s what El Paso County Public Health recommends you do to protect yourself against West Nile virus:
- Use an EPA-registered insect repellent, such as DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. The effectiveness of non-EPA-registered insect repellents is unknown, including some natural repellents.
- Limit time outdoors during the times of day when mosquitoes are most active, typically around dusk and dawn.
- Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants, especially when outdoors around dusk and dawn.
- Use screens on windows and doors. Repair holes in screens to keep mosquitoes outdoors.
- Frequently drain standing water from areas around the house such as bird baths, portable pools, tires, planters, pet water dishes, and children’s swimming pools. Mosquitoes can lay eggs and grow in standing water.
- Treat standing water—such as ponds, ditches, clogged rain gutters, flowerpots, plant saucers, puddles, and buckets—with larvicide "doughnuts," which can be purchased at hardware stores. Larvicide doughnuts use a naturally occurring type of bacteria to control mosquitoes.
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
