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SUMMIT COUNTY (WOIO) –

Summit County Health Commissioner Gene Nixon announced that two confirmed human cases of West Nile Virus Encephalitis have recently been reported to Summit County Public Health.

These are the first confirmed human cases of WNV in Summit County since 2002. Unfortunately, a 78-year old resident of New Franklin expired on September 13, 2011. Our sincere sympathies are extended to his family and friends. The second confirmed human case involves a 47-year old resident of Akron who remains hospitalized.

Due to this year’s flooding and frequent rains, Summit County Public Health has identified WNV-infected mosquitoes in 20 Summit County communities. The Health District has increased surveillance and mosquito treatment activities to address this year’s unusual abundance of mosquitoes.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that about 20 percent of people who become infected with WNV will develop West Nile fever. Symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, and body aches, occasionally with a skin rash and swollen lymph glands. While the illness can be as short as a few days, even healthy people have reported being sick for several weeks.

The CDC estimates that approximately 1 in 150 persons infected with WNV will develop a more severe form of disease such as West Nile encephalitis or meningitis or West Nile poliomyelitis: Severe symptoms include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness and paralysis. Serious illness can occur in people of any age, however people over age 50 and some immune-compromised persons (for example, transplant patients) are at the highest risk for getting severely ill when infected with WNV.

Summit County Public Health encourages the help of residents in preventing illness. Individuals can protect themselves and loved ones from West Nile by taking simple preventive steps such as using insect repellent and eliminating containers that can collect water from your property.

http://www.19actionnews.com/story/15460454/summit-county-man

Article Courtesy of WOIO 19 Action News