First 2020 human cases of West Nile virus reported in Yakima, Benton Counties
Sep 11, 2020, 3:35 PM | Updated: 4:42 pm
(Photo by John Tann, CC Images)
(Photo by John Tann, CC Images)
The state’s first two cases of West Nile virus this year have been confirmed in Yakima County and Benton County.
West Nile virus is spread through mosquito bites, and has been found in mosquitoes in Yakima, Benton, and Franklin counties this summer.
A Yakima County man in his 50s with the virus required hospitalization, while a Benton County man in his 60s did not.
“We had positives in the mosquitoes, and now we have our first positive in a human,” said Kathleen Clary-Cooke, a health educator with the Benton-Franklin Health District. “We have a human case usually every year.”
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About 80% of West Nile patients are asymptomatic, but in rare cases, the disease can be serious or even fatal.
“The majority of people who contract West Nile virus don’t even get sick, they don’t have symptoms,” Clary-Cooke said. “But about 20% will develop a fever.”
When symptoms do appear, they can include a high fever, headache, neck stiffness, and muscle weakness.
“People might be disoriented, they can go into convulsions, have tremors with muscles, paralysis, or even a coma,” Clary-Cooke said.
Historically, the virus has tended to crop up in eastern Washington during the summer months.
To avoid 2020’s most infamous virus — COVID-19 — many people are getting outdoors and taking part in socially distanced activities, like hiking. To also protect yourself from West Nile virus during these outdoor activities, health experts recommend that to prevent mosquito bites, you wear repellent and clothing that covers your arms and legs. To avoid mosquitoes at home, install screens on windows and doors, and empty birdbaths and other places where water pools as that can attract mosquitoes.
If you suspect that you have contracted West Nile virus, you should seek medical attention immediately.
