Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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The Nebraska Department of Health and Human received reports of two recent deaths in the Central Nebraska region that have been attributed to West Nile Virus. In the last five years, Nebraska has seen an average of six WNV deaths per year. WNV can occur in people of any age but people over 50 years of age or older, or with compromised immune systems, are at the greatest risk for severe illness. Mild signs or symptoms can include fever, headache, body aches, skin rash and swollen lymph glands....
The North Central District Health Department reported another West Nile Virus pool has been detected in mosquitoes in Holt County near O'Neill. This makes the third positive pool this trapping season. Residents should take precautions to protect themselves from mosquitoes. • Limit time spent outdoors at dusk and down when mosquitoes are most active. • Wear long-sleeve shirts and pants if outdoors at dusk or dawn. • Apply EPA-approved mosquito repellant (DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon, eucal...
Bob Decker thought he'd get an early start on golf one morning this summer when he headed to Omaha's Steve Hogan Golf Course. Instead, he ended up providing swarms of mosquitoes their breakfast, lunch and dinner during his round at the nine-hole course. "I was slapping mosquitoes off my legs the whole time," he said. "Thus the reason for my poor score ..." Decker wasn't imagining things. Compared to last year, mosquito numbers have jumped significantly across Nebraska, nearly doubling in...
On July 10, North Central District Health Department reported that West Nile Virus had been detected in mosquitoes in Holt County near O'Neill. Residents should take precautions to protect themselves, including: • Limit time spent outdoors ant dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active. • Wear long-sleeve shirts and pants if outdoors at dusk or dawn. • Apply EPA-approved mosquito repellant, including DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon, eucalyptus or IR3535. • Get rid of standing water that mo...
A total of five mosquito pools have now tested positive for West Nile Virus in Holt County, near O’Neill. West Nile Virus is still circulating in the environment. Residents not only in Holt County, but across Nebraska, should continue to take precautions to protect themselves until the first hard freeze, according to representatives from the North Central District Health Department. Limit time spent outdoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active. Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants if outdoors at dusk or dawn. Apply an EPA-approved m...
A total of four mosquito pools have now tested positive for West Nile Virus in Holt County, near O'Neill. West Nile Virus is still circulating in the environment. Residents, not only in Holt County, but across Nebraska, should continue to take precautions to protect themselves until the first hard freeze, according to Elizabeth Parks, disease surveillance coordinator at North Central District Health Department. Precautions include: • Limit time spent outdoors at dusk and down when mosquitoes a...
Spring is finally here in the Northern Plains and summer feels just around the corner. As all we Northerners know, as soon as the temperatures hit even a mild degree on the thermometer, most of us shed the jackets and long pants and our skin is front-and-center. The sunny season is prime season for mosquitoes and ticks, along with the itchy bites and all the unpleasant infections they can carry. Different species of mosquitoes and ticks can transmit different bacteria and viruses and, around...
The North Central District Health Department reported the West Nile Virus has been detected in mosquitoes in Holt County near O’Neill. Residents should take precautions to protect themselves from mosquitoes by limiting time spent outdoors when mosquitoes are most active. Wear long sleeve shirts and pants, if outdoors at these times. Apply an EPA-approved mosquito repellant. Standing water should be removed, since mosquitoes may breed in it. More information is available at nc...
ANDREW ELLSWORTH, M.D. One late summer day, fresh out of residency and seeing patients for the first time as a full-fledged family physician, I examined a young man who had a fever, fatigue and a bad headache. Considering the time of year, influenza was low on the list of possibilities, and COVID-19 did not yet exist. After a physical exam and listening to his story, I ordered some tests, which resulted in a diagnosis of West Nile virus. Now that we are entering the later half of the summer, the weather and environment are prime for West Nile...
Two West Nile Virus deaths for the 2021 season have been confirmed this week in the Three Rivers District Health Department that includes Dodge, Saunders and Washington counties. Both individuals were older adults with underlying health conditions. Three Rivers Public Health Department announced the first confirmed death of WNV within the health district on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. The second death was confirmed in 3RPHD today. WNV is the most prevalent mosquito-borne disease in the U.S., with...
The North Central District Health Department reported a horse in Cherry County has tested positive for West Nile Virus. Additional details on the symptoms or status of the horse are not currently available. Typically, horses with West Nile Virus display symptoms of depression, lack of appetite, change in behavior and mood, fever, muscle spasms and incoordination. Horse owners should talk to a veterinarian about vaccinating horses annually for West Nile Virus. This virus starts in birds that serve as the host. Mosquitoes feed on infected birds...
West Nile virus season has arrived. The North Central District Health Department is once again providing surveillance throughout the nine-county district that includes Antelope, Boyd, Brown, Cherry, Holt, Keya Paha, Knox, Pierce and Rock counties. Mosquito trapping has started in Cherry, Holt and Knox counties. If any West Nile virus-positive mosquito pools are trapped, NCDHD will report them to the public. The health department will not be collecting corvid birds for West Nile Virus testing...
