The Denver Department of Public Health and Environment urged city residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites after an unnamed person tested positive for West Nile virus.
The department didn’t provide any information about the Denver resident who has West Nile. Most people don’t get tested for the virus, because they have either mild symptoms or none at all. In severe cases, the virus can invade the nervous system, causing paralysis, coma, or death. People over 60 and those with compromised immune systems are more likely to become severely ill.
Jefferson County Public Health also announced the first human West Nile cases of the summer in its jurisdiction. Three people in the county tested positive, but all are recovering at home, the agency said.
Eleven people in Colorado have tested positive for West Nile this year, including five who developed neurologic symptoms and three who needed hospital care, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. One person, identified only as a Lafayette resident, died from the virus. The state’s count didn’t include the Denver or Jefferson County cases.
People can reduce their odds of mosquito bites by making sure window screens don’t have holes bugs could get through, wearing long sleeves and pants when outside, applying insect repellant with DEET and avoiding outdoor activities near dawn and dusk.
They can also help keep the mosquito population down by getting rid of standing water where the bugs can lay eggs. Moving sprinklers away from sidewalks or the street can reduce the formation of puddles, as can cleaning out gutters that could trap water. The health department advised people to empty and scrub, turn over, cover or throw away items that hold water outside, such as tires, buckets, toys and bird baths.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox.
Originally Published:
