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West Nile Disease Spreading

144 views · Published 27 August 2012 · 3:06 · Indexed 22 September 2026

Channel: WTVC NewsChannel 9 · 2012 · News & Politics

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by John Madewell  The spread and danger of the West Nile Virus is capturing the nation's attention. And cases are moving closer to this area.According to the Centers for Disease Control, the West Nile Virus is now in 47 states. CDC's website explains that  includes, "WNV human disease cases, presumptive viremic blood donors, veterinary disease cases and infections in mosquitoes, birds, and sentinel animals."For now, the counties in NewsChannel 9's coverage area are free of the disease, but that could change. One case has surfaced in Bartow County, Georgia which is about 90 minutes from Chattanooga.NewsChannel 9 checked with the Hamilton County Health Department. It has no confirmed cases of West Nile this year.This afternoon, we spoke with Bonnie Deakins, the Director of Environmental Health Services. Deakins said common sense is still the best preventive step against WNV. "The best personal protection would be to use repellants and there are a lot on the market, the ones that contain DEET appear to be the most effective."It's also important to read the label for use applications, particularly for children or the elderly.Deakins added the safety steps don't stop there, "Secondly, if they're going to be out between the hours of dusk and dawn. In addition to wearing their repellant, they might want to wear long sleeve shirts, pants, socks, that type of thing."According to the CDC, about one in 150 people infected with WNV will develop severe illness. Symptoms include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, etc.Up to 20 percent of infected people show symptoms including fever, headache, body aches, nausea and vomiting. But most people, approximately 80 percent, who are infected won't show any symptoms at all.

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