Second Human West Nile Case Reported This Week

A woman in Delaware County has contracted West Nile virus, according to the Pennsylvania West Nile Virus Control Program.

This woman is the sixth human case of West Nile virus reported in 2013 and the second one in Delaware County. Tuesday, a Philadelphia woman was reported to have contracted West Nile virus. Two men in York County reported contracting it in August and one man in Montgomery County in August.

Humans can contract West Nile encephalitis, an infection that can result in an inflammation of the brain from infected mosquitoes. In rare instances, humans afflicted with the West Nile Virus have died, but none have so far this summer. Last summer, there were 60 reported human cases of West Nile virus in Pennsylvania, four of which were fatal, according to statistics on the West Nile Virus Control Program website.

Symptoms

People can have a mild case of West Nile and not realize it. Mild symptoms, according to the Pennsylvania West Nile Virus Control Program, include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Body Aches
• Occasional Skin Rash
• Occasional Swollen Lymph Glands

More severe symptoms include:

• Headache
• High Fever
• Neck Stiffness
• Stupor
• Disorientation
• Coma
• Tremors
• Convulsions
• Muscle Weakness
• Paralysis

Prevention

Tips from Delaware County to eliminate standing water include:

• Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water-holding containers.
• Pay special attention to discarded tires that may have accumulated on your property.
• Drill holes in the bottom of containers that are left outdoors.
• Clean clogged roof gutters on an annual basis.
• Turn over plastic wading pools, wheelbarrows and birdbaths when not in use.
• Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish.
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools that are not being used.