Fourth and fifth cases of West Nile confirmed
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- Lincoln health officials have confirmed two cases of West Nile virus in the city.
A Lincoln man and a Lincoln woman are recovering from the virus, one after a short hospitalization. One is age 50 to 59, the other 70 to 79.
Both are believed to have contracted the illness after being bitten by mosquitoes in south Lincoln, said Steve Beal, assistant director of the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department. But there is no way to pinpoint the source.
"This is the time of the season this is really going to start to pop," he said of the virus, which is spread by birds to mosquitoes.
Nebraska has not seen a serious outbreak of West Nile since 2003, when 129 cases were reported across the state.
The three other cases confirmed in Nebraska this year are: A 50-year-old Platte County woman confirmed to have the disease in the last week of June; A 55-year-old Saline County woman confirmed July 6; and a Douglas County man between 40 and 50 years old confirmed July 19.
Last year, 188 human cases of the virus were reported in Nebraska with five deaths. That compares with 57 cases in 2004, 2,366 in 2003 and 174 in 2002. There were no recorded cases before 2002.
Around the country, about 35 cases had been confirmed as of Tuesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most are in the Midwest, West, Texas and Mississippi.
West Nile fever includes flulike symptoms such as fever and muscle weakness. Symptoms of West Nile encephalitis include inflammation of the brain, disorientation, convulsions and paralysis.
Most people who are bitten by infected mosquitoes never have symptoms, said Tim Timmons, health department communicable disease program supervisor. Timmons said that since the illness comes from a virus, the best treatment is prevention.
Avoid mosquito bites with repellent and by staying away from heavily mosquito-infested areas. And, get rid of standing water in bird baths, pools and other water collection areas.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- Lincoln health officials have confirmed two cases of West Nile virus in the city.
A Lincoln man and a Lincoln woman are recovering from the virus, one after a short hospitalization. One is age 50 to 59, the other 70 to 79.
Both are believed to have contracted the illness after being bitten by mosquitoes in south Lincoln, said Steve Beal, assistant director of the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department. But there is no way to pinpoint the source.
"This is the time of the season this is really going to start to pop," he said of the virus, which is spread by birds to mosquitoes.
Nebraska has not seen a serious outbreak of West Nile since 2003, when 129 cases were reported across the state.
The three other cases confirmed in Nebraska this year are: A 50-year-old Platte County woman confirmed to have the disease in the last week of June; A 55-year-old Saline County woman confirmed July 6; and a Douglas County man between 40 and 50 years old confirmed July 19.
Last year, 188 human cases of the virus were reported in Nebraska with five deaths. That compares with 57 cases in 2004, 2,366 in 2003 and 174 in 2002. There were no recorded cases before 2002.
Around the country, about 35 cases had been confirmed as of Tuesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most are in the Midwest, West, Texas and Mississippi.
West Nile fever includes flulike symptoms such as fever and muscle weakness. Symptoms of West Nile encephalitis include inflammation of the brain, disorientation, convulsions and paralysis.
Most people who are bitten by infected mosquitoes never have symptoms, said Tim Timmons, health department communicable disease program supervisor. Timmons said that since the illness comes from a virus, the best treatment is prevention.
Avoid mosquito bites with repellent and by staying away from heavily mosquito-infested areas. And, get rid of standing water in bird baths, pools and other water collection areas.
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