Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
West Nile has spread
from mosquitoes to humans
in the panhandle.
Four human cases of
the disease have been
confirmed so far in
Nebraska, as of July 26.
One human case was found
in Scottsbluff within the
past few weeks. The other
three cases were in north
central Nebraska, central
Nebraska and Douglas
county.
“We’ve had four clinical
positives,” said Tabi
Prochazka, Environmental
Health Coordinator for
Panhandle Public Health
District
She recommends that
Nebraskans take extra
precautions when going
out during dawn or dusk
and that they wear a
insect repellant that contains
DEET, although
some argue that more natural
products work equally
well.
The city of Sidney sprays
for mosquitoes within the
city limits every Sunday
from 7:30-10 p.m.
“Foggers definitely are
effective,” Prochazka said.
The city also empties
standing water from culverts
and puts larvacide
in ditches to prevent mosquito
eggs from hatching.
Out of the four confirmed
cases in Nebraska,
one so far has resulted in
hospitalization.
“It can be dangerous,”
Prochazka said.
Prochazka confirmed
that West Nile infected
mosquitoes have spread
throughout the panhandle.
“All the places we’ve
tested in the panhandle
have tested positive,”
Prochazka said.
The recent rains could
contribute to more active
mosquitoes in the area, so
citizens should take extra
precautions.
“Pools of water are a
good breeding ground,”
Prochazka said.
She doesn’t predict the
population of mosquitoes
in the area will decrease
anytime soon.
“It usually doesn’t drop
off until the last freeze,”
Prochazka said.
Of all the pools of mosquitoes
that were tested in
Nebraska, 26 of them tested
positive for West Nile.
In 2012, there were 193
confirmed human cases of
West Nile in the state of
Nebraska, Prochazka said.
About 30 to 35 of these
cases were in the panhandle
area. Four deaths were
reported in the state.
West Nile can cause
symptoms similar to the
flu like fever and muscle
weakness. The virus can
also incite more severe
reactions like encephalitis.
Encephalitis is inflammation
of the brain which
can cause disorientation,
convulsions and paralysis.
Those who have a compromised
immune system or
who are older than 50 can
be more susceptible to the
disease and its effects.
Prochazka recommends
some guidelines for citizens
to protect themselves
and their families. Always
cover as much of your body
as possible when going
outside. Wear long sleeves,
long pants and shoes and
socks. Be extra cautious
when going outdoors at
dawn and dusk, the time
at which Culex mosquitoes,
the kind that carry
West Nile, are most active.
Get rid of any standing
water on your property.
Put larvicide in all water
troughs for animals. Make
sure window screens don’t
have holes or tears where
bugs can get in.
West Nile virus first
appeared in the United
States in 1999 and had
spread across the country
by 2003, according to the
University of Nebraska
at Lincoln Institute of
Agriculture and Natural
Resources. Scientists and
doctors think that more
than 80 percent of those
infected show no symptoms,
so most cases are
never reported.
From 2001 to 2009 about
1,100 reported deaths were
caused by West Nile. Most
of those who died were over
65 years of age, according to the institute.
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