THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ANNOUNCES THE FIRST CASE OF WEST NILE VIRUS INFECTION REPORTED IN 2024 IN AN OLDER ADULT AGED 61-80 YEARS OLD FROM HARRISON COUNTY.
THE CASE WAS CONFIRMED THROUGH A TEST AT THE STATE HYGIENIC LAB.
BITES FROM INFECTED MOSQUITOS ARE THE PRIMARY METHOD IN WHICH HUMANS ARE INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS.
FOR THE BEST PROTECTION AGAINST THE VIRUS, IOWANS SHOULD USE AN INSECT REPELLANT WITH DEET, PICARIDIN, OIL OF LEMON EUCALYPTUS, PARA-MENTHANE-DIOL, 2-UNDECANONE OR IR3535.
INSECT REPELLENT LOWERS THE RISK OF MOSQUITO BITES.
OIL OF LEMON EUCALYPTUS AND PARA-MENTHANE-DIOL SHOULD NOT BE USED ON CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 3 YEARS, AND DEET SHOULD NOT BE USED ON INFANTS YOUNGER THAN 2 MONTHS.
IF YOU ARE ALSO USING SUNSCREEN, APPLY SUNSCREEN FIRST AND INSECT REPELLENT SECOND.
IOWANS INFECTED WITH WEST NILE MAY NOT EXPERIENCE ANY SIGNS OR SYMPTOMS OF THE VIRUS.
SOME PEOPLE EXPERIENCE MINOR SYMPTOMS LIKE FEVER AND MILD HEADACHE.
OTHERS, HOWEVER, CAN DEVELOP SERIOUS SYMPTOMS SUCH AS A HIGH FEVER, HEADACHE, DISORIENTATION, AND MUSCLE WEAKNESS.
IN 2023, 17 IOWANS WERE DIAGNOSED WITH WEST NILE VIRUS, WITH ONE DEATH.
