A Boulder resident has been hospitalized after contracting West Nile virus, Boulder County Public Health announced today.
The person who contracted the virus is in her 70s and reportedly biting multiple mosquitoes during extensive gardening in her backyard. They are currently hospitalized with meningitis. This is the second person in the state to test positive for the virus, according to a news release from a public health department.
A Delta County resident on Aug. 12 was reported to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment as the first human case of the West Nile virus this year, according to the Denver Post. The person was also admitted to the hospital.
Boulder County Public Health officials are urging residents to take precautionary measures to protect themselves against the West Nile Virus.
“This time of year is when we see most people getting sick from the disease,” said Heather Marshall, Boulder County Public Health epidemiologist in the release. “We should all be happy to protect ourselves from mosquito bites.”
According to the release, the West Nile virus is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. While most infections are mild, more serious infections can cause encephalitis, that is, inflammation of the brain, and meningitis, the inflammation of the lining of the brain, as well as loss of vision, paralysis, coma, tremors, convulsions, and death.
Public health officials said that although everyone is at risk of becoming infected with West Nile virus, those over the age of 50 or with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of developing serious illness. Anyone experiencing these symptoms is asked to consult their healthcare provider. There is no treatment, cure, or human vaccination for the virus, but health care providers can treat symptoms to make patients feel better and possibly recover faster, the release said.
Most cases of West Nile viruses in Colorado are diagnosed in August and September. However, falls can be identified as early as May and as late as December. In general, the mouse season lasts from late April to mid-October, with the end usually signaled by the first freezes in the fall, the release said.
To protect themselves from the West Nile virus, public health officials reminded people to follow the four Ds:
- Use DEET-enhanced insect repellent as an alternative.
- Dress in long sleeves and pants.
- Avoid the outside door from dusk to breakfast.
- Drain standing water outside your home.
The Denver Post article reported that 122 people tested positive for West Nile and that eight people died in 2019.
