7 new West Nile cases announced. Miami-Dade passes 30 residents who’ve contracted it
Miami-Dade County passed 30 West Nile virus cases as the Department of Health announced seven more.
On Thursday, the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County announced seven more residents have contracted the mosquito-borne illness from local transmission. This brings the county’s total of West Nile virus cases this year to 33.
The county’s first two cases of West Nile virus were detected in May, both in county residents and through local transmission.
On Aug. 4, Broward County announced it saw its first West Nile virus case since 2012. Monroe County is dealing with its own mosquito-borne illness outbreak as 26 people have been infected with Dengue fever, the county’s first outbreak in a decade.
Miami-Dade has been placed under a mosquito-borne-illness alert. The health department said West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the United States. There are no vaccines to prevent it or medications to treat it.
Roughly 1 in 5 of those infected develop a fever or other symptoms, which typically appear between two and 14 days after the infected mosquito bites. Fewer than 1% of people who contract the virus develop a serious or fatal illness.
People 60 and older and those with weakened immune systems are at an increased risk for severe disease, health officials said.
Miami-Dade County’s mosquito-control chief, William Petrie, said in late June that this summer’s resurgence of West Nile probably reflects the heavy rains that cause mosquito populations to explode.
Health officials say to “Drain and Cover.” Drain standing water in garbage cans, gutters, buckets, pools, coolers, birdbaths and pet water bowls. Also throw away old tires, drums, bottles, cans and broken appliances.
Cover skin with clothing and apply repellent that uses DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol or IR3535 for protection from mosquitoes.
