Dr. Thomas Dobbs, with the University of Mississippi Medical Center, says these rates are high.
“We do have West Nile cases here, every year,” he said. “And certainly the ones that we see reported are only the tip of the iceberg. We know there are a lot more cases out there, and we're just now getting into the year. I know last year they had 37 reported cases of West Nile. And that we're already at 27 now is really significant.”
According to the Mississippi Department of Health, this indicates that West Nile is “circulating in the state… and that all residents should take precaution.”
117 mosquitoes trapped by the department tested positive for the virus.
“You know, it's a perpetual threat, but, you know, and it tends to come and go,” Dobbs said. “And so we never know when we're going to have a really severe year. August and September are typically our worst months for West Nile transmission. So now is a specifically important time to avoid the mosquito bites that cause West Nile virus.”
Symptoms of West Nile include rashes, “West Nile fever” and headaches. According to health officials, some ways to avoid mosquito bites include removing standing water, using mosquito netting while sleeping indoors and applying insect repellent.
“There's several things that can be done,” Dr. Dobbs said. “One of them is to understand that these mosquitoes that cause West or that pass West Nile virus mostly bite in the morning, in the early evening. And so those are times to be extra careful.”
The department of health tracks other mosquito borne illnesses, including Chikungunya, Zika, La Crosse Encephalitis, St. Louis Encephalitis, Eastern Equine Encephalitis and travel-related malaria and dengue.
“There's also this other virus that's circulating in sort of Central America, Cuba and South America called oropouche virus,” Dobbs says. “And that's something that could come here because the mosquitoes that spread that we do have those. So that's another viral illness that can come from mosquitoes that we should be keep an eye on.”
Dobbs emphasizes that anyone can get West Nile and have severe complications. However, he said those at high risk are people over the age of 65, with chronic health conditions or any form of immunosuppression.
More information about West Nile Virus can be found on the CDC website. West Nile Virus | West Nile Virus | CDC
