16th West Nile case confirmed in El Paso this season
The City of El Paso’s Department of Public Health announced a man in his early 60s is the 16th person to be infected with the West Nile Virus this season.
Officials said the man has an underlying medical condition. He was hospitalized, but has since been released.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says mosquito season starts in the summer and continues into fall.
“The community needs to take into account that for most people a mosquito bite is a nuisance, but for others it can be very serious if the patient has medical conditions that impair their ability to fight infection and if the mosquito is carrying a disease like West Nile,” the city’s lead epidemiologist Fernando Gonzalez said in a statement. “As long as we still have mosquitoes biting in El Paso, the threat of disease continues to be present.”
Click here for a map showing mosquito control activities in El Paso.
Officials said the best way to avoid contracting West Nile is to remember the “Four Ds.”
DEET: Use insect repellents that contain DEET when outdoors.
DRESS: Wear long sleeves, long pants, and socks when outdoors.
DUSK and DAWN – Although mosquitoes associated with other diseases such as Zika can be active throughout the day; residents should take extra care during peak mosquito biting hours (from dusk to dawn) or consider avoiding outdoor activities during these times.
DRAIN – Drain standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, and birdbaths.
Here’s a list of all the recorded cases this season:
1.
Female
Late 70’s
Underlying Medical Conditions
2.
Female
Late 70’s
Underlying Medical Conditions
Deceased
3.
Female
Early 50’s
Underlying Medical Conditions
4.
Female
Early 30’s
No Underlying Medical Conditions
5.
Male
Late 30’s
No Underlying Medical Conditions
Deceased
6.
Male
Early 80’s
Underlying Medical Conditions
7.
Male
Early 30’s
No Underlying Medical Conditions
8.
Female
Mid 70’s
Underlying Medical Conditions
9.
Male
Early 80’s
Underlying Medical Conditions
10.
Female
Mid 70’s
Underlying Medical Conditions
11.
Male
Early 80’s
Underlying Medical Conditions
12.
Female
Early 30’s
No Underlying Medical Conditions
13
Male
Late 80’s
Underlying Medical Conditions
14.
Male
Early 60’s
Underlying Medical Conditions
15.
Male
Early 80’s
Underlying Medical Conditions
NEW
16.
Male
Early 60’s
Underlying Medical Conditions
KVIA 2019
