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Thread: A deadly mosquito-borne virus that causes brain swelling in humans has been detected in Florida

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    A deadly mosquito-borne virus that causes brain swelling in humans has been detected in Florida

    https://www.kmov.com/news/a-deadly-m...2d9bec656.html

    (CNN) -- Florida health officials are warning of an uptick in a mosquito-borne virus known as Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE).

    Several sentinel chickens tested positive for EEE, which can spread to humans via infected mosquitoes and cause brain infection and swelling, the Florida Department of Health in Orange County said in a Thursday statement. Sentinel chickens are fowl that are tested regularly for the West Nile virus and EEE. Their blood can show the presence of the diseases, but they don't suffer from the effects of the viruses.

    Following the positive tests for the sentinel chickens in Orange County, the health department said "the risk of transmission to humans has increased."

    Only about seven cases of the EEE virus in humans are reported in the US each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

    However, the disease can be fatal: about 30% of people who contract it die, according to the CDC. Many survivors have ongoing neurologic problems.

    People develop symptoms about 4 to 10 days after they are bitten by an infected mosquito, the CDC says. Signs include sudden onset of headache, high fever, chills and vomiting. More severe symptoms include disorientation, seizures and coma.

    With summer in full swing, mosquitoes are buzzing around at peak populations. Officials warned people to avoid being bitten by draining standing water around their homes, covering skin with clothing or repellant, and using screens to cover doors and windows.

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    link to pdf file that shows Eastern equine encephalitis virus disease cases and deaths reported to CDC by year and clinical presentation, 2009-2018

    https://www.cdc.gov/easternequineenc...009-2018-P.pdf

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    https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/08/...-encephalitis/

    BOSTON (CBS) – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is adding six more communities to its list of areas at high risk from the eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus.

    The DPH said it raised the EEE risk in Acushnet, Fairhaven, Marion, Mattapoisett, Rochester and Taunton in Bristol and Plymouth counties.

    On Wednesday, DPH announced Carver, Easton, Freetown, Lakeville, Middleboro, New Bedford, and Raynham – also in Bristol and Plymouth counties – were high-risk areas.

    “We are using the mosquito surveillance data to continue to define the area at risk,” said Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH. “As we receive more information, we will continue to update the areas of high risk as indicated by the data.”

    Communities at moderate risk are Fall River, Foxborough, Mansfield, Plymouth, Sharon, Somerset, Swansea, and Wareham in Plymouth, Bristol and Norfolk counties.

    EEE symptoms can range from a stiff neck, headache and lack of energy to dangerous complications like inflammation and swelling of the brain.

    “DPH is working to ensure people are aware of these elevated risk levels and of all the tools that residents and communities can use to help reduce that risk,” said DPH State Epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown.

    The DPH recommends that residents should make efforts to avoid mosquito bites, which can spread EEE, including using insect repellent, being aware of peak mosquito hours (dusk to dawn), wearing long sleeve shirts and pants when outside, drains standing water from around your home, repaid window screens and protect your animals from mosquitos.

    No human or animal cases of EEE have been detected so far this year.

    The state’s website includes information about mosquito-borne diseases and their prevention.

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    State health officials urge cancellation of outdoor events, 3 Michiganders die from rare virus

    Three Michiganders have died from the rare and dangerous mosquito-borne virus Eastern equine encephalitis and four others have been sickened by the disease, state health officials said Tuesday, amid the biggest outbreak in more than a decade.

    Those who live in all eight of the affected counties — Kalamazoo, Cass, Van Buren, Berrien, Barry, St. Joseph, Genesee and Lapeer counties — are urged to consider canceling, postponing or rescheduling outdoor events that occur at or after dusk, especially those that involve children, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

    This would include events such as late-evening sports practices or games or outdoor music practices "out of an abundance of caution to protect the public health and applies until the first hard frost of the year," according to an MDHHS news release.

    The three people who died were all adults, and lived in Kalamazoo, Cass and Van Buren counties, said Bob Wheaton, a spokesman for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The four other confirmed cases are in Kalamazoo, Berrien, and Barry counties.

    Mosquito biting
    Mosquito biting (Photo: WebSubstance, Getty Images/iStockphoto)

    Animals have also been confirmed to have the virus in St. Joseph, Genesee and Lapeer counties.

    The Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Department also issued a recommendation to local communities and school districts to consider canceling outdoor events at dusk or after dark, when mosquitoes are most active, or move them indoors.

    “Michigan is currently experiencing its worst Eastern equine encephalitis outbreak in more than a decade,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, MDHHS chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “The ongoing cases reported in humans and animals and the severity of this disease illustrate the importance of taking precautions against mosquito bites.”

    EEE is one of the most deadly mosquito-borne viruses in the U.S. One in three people who are infected with the virus die. The only way to prevent it is to avoid mosquito bites.

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    I'm never going outside again.
    Assumption is the mother of all fuck ups

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