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DVBID: West Nile Infections Continue Record Pace

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Credit DVBID


# 6604

 

The DVBID (Division of Vector Borne Infectious Diseases) has updated their West Nile numbers as reported to them through October 2nd, and as expected the number of new cases, and deaths, continues to rise.

 

2012 West Nile virus update: October 2

As of October 2, 2012, 48 states have reported West Nile virus infections in people, birds, or mosquitoes. A total of 3,969 cases of West Nile virus disease in people, including 163 deaths, have been reported to CDC. Of these, 2,010 (51%) were classified as neuroinvasive disease (such as meningitis or encephalitis) and 1,959 (49%) were classified as non-neuroinvasive disease.

 

The 3,969 cases reported thus far in 2012 is the highest number of West Nile virus disease cases reported to CDC through the first week in October since 2003. Almost 70 percent of the cases have been reported from eight states (Texas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Dakota, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Illinois) and a third of all cases have been reported from Texas.

 

The record pace continues, and we can expect – given incubation period of 2 or 3 weeks, and since some people may succumb only after weeks of illness – that we will see these numbers continue to rise for the next couple of months.

 

 

The incidence level of the more serious neuroinvasive form of West Nile disease – which can produce encephalitis, meningitis, and/or acute flaccid paralysis – is illustrated by the following chart. 

 

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Although the peak period of transmission for WNV may have passed, infected mosquitoes are still out there and are still biting and infecting people.

 

So we still need to heed the advice of our local health departments to  follow the `5 D’s’ of mosquito protection:

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And finally, to find out about the West Nile threat in your area, you can visit the DVBID website below:

Links to State and Local Government West Nile Virus Web Sites

 

Click on a state to link directly to their West Nile virus Web page.

See list below for additional city-level and main State Health Department Web sites.

Image: West Nile Virus Map of States with links to their West Nile Virus pages

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