CDC warns mosquito-borne illnesses on the rise in the Americas

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

EVERY SUMMER WE DEAL WITH PESKY MOSQUITOES – AND THEIR ITCHY BITES. 

U-S HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE REMINDING THE PUBLIC THAT WITH THOSE BITES – COMES THE POTENTIAL OF BEING INFECTED BY DIFFERENT DISEASES AS CASES OF MOSQUITO-BORNE ILLNESSES ARE ON THE RISE.

 41 NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS HAVE CONTRACTED DENGUE FEVER WHILE TRAVELING – ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION.

THE CDC WARNS — DENGUE FEVER CASES ARE AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH IN THE AMERICAS AS THE CDC REPORTS NEARLY 10 MILLION CASES ACROSS NORTH, CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA SO FAR THIS YEAR.

NONE OF THE NEW JERSEY CASES WERE LOCALLY TRANSMITTED – IN ALL THE CASES – PEOPLE HAD RECENTLY TRAVELED.

MEANWHILE – THERE’VE BEEN 210 TOTAL CASES REPORTED IN FLORIDA WITH 7 OF THOSE LOCALLY TRANSMITTED.

THE ILLNESS IS THE MOST COMMON SPREAD BY MOSQUITOES AND CAN CAUSE FEVER, BODY ACHES, HEADACHE AND NAUSEA.

ALSO OF CONCERN IS WEST NILE VIRUS.

SO FAR THIS YEAR – THE ILLNESS HAS BEEN DETECTED IN 18 STATES WITH 15 PEOPLE CONTRACTING THE DISEASE.

AN ESTIMATED 70-80% OF WEST NILE CASES DON’T EXHIBIT ANY SYMPTOMS – HOWEVER, IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PEOPLE OR THOSE OVER THE AGE OF 60 MAY DEVELOP SEVERE SICKNESS.

SEVEN OF THOSE CASES TURNED NEUROINVASIVE – MEANING THE DISEASE MANIFESTED AS MENINGITIS, ENCEPHALITIS, OR ACUTE FLACCID MYELITIS.

THE CDC SAYS MOST PEOPLE WITH NON NEUROINVASIVE WEST NILE VIRUS OR MENINGITIS COMPLETELY RECOVER – HOWEVER – THOSE WITH ENCEPHALITIS OR ACUTE FLACCID MYELITIS “OFTEN HAVE RESIDUAL NEUROLOGICAL DEFICITS” AND APPROXIMATELY 10% OF THESE CASES ENDS IN DEATH.

THE CDC SAYS – THE BEST WAY TO AVOID MOSQUITO-CONTRACTED ILLNESS IS TO PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST THEIR BITES.

THEY RECOMMEND YOU WEAR LOOSE CLOTHING, LONG-SLEEVED SHIRTS AND PANTS, INSECT REPELLENT CONTAINING DEET.

FOR SAN, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR..

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