Denver health officials confirm first human case of West Nile virus this year

The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment has confirmed the first human case of West Nile virus in Denver this year. Due to the positive result, health officials are urging people to take precautions.

According to DDPHE, West Nile virus is most commonly transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. The virus is not transmitted from person to person. In Colorado, most West Nile cases are diagnosed in August and September, but cases can be detected as early as May and as late as December. Mosquito season generally runs from late April to mid-October and usually ends with the first frost in the fall.

Additional information from the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment:

DDPHE recommends that citizens do their part to protect the community from West Nile virus by taking the following precautions:
• Prevent mosquitoes from laying their eggs in or near water on your property.
• Once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, cover or throw away items that contain water, such as tires, buckets, planters, toys, wheelbarrows, pools, birdbaths, flowerpots or garbage containers.
• Make sure you have containers for water storage both indoors and outdoors.
• Do not water your concrete or the road. This can cause puddles to form in which mosquito larvae can settle.
• When making landscaping decisions, consider how to minimize overspray (from irrigation) onto roads and sewers.
• Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved insect repellents containing DEET. When used as directed, EPA-approved insect repellents are safe and effective, including for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
• Avoid outdoor activities at dusk and dawn as mosquitoes are most active at this time.
• Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors.
• Use mosquito repellent, candles, incense and other means to keep mosquitoes away from your area.
• Use screens on windows and doors. Repair holes in screens to keep mosquitoes out.

While anyone is at risk of contracting West Nile virus, people over the age of 50 or with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill. Symptoms of West Nile virus typically include fever, extreme fatigue, headache, body aches, and occasionally skin rashes and swollen lymph nodes. Symptoms generally appear three to 14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. While most infections are mild, more serious infections can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and/or meningitis (inflammation of the meninges), loss of vision, paralysis, coma, tremors, convulsions, and even death.

Denver residents who experience these symptoms should see their doctor. There is no treatment, cure, or vaccine for the virus, but health professionals can manage symptoms to help patients feel better and potentially recover faster.

For more information about West Nile virus in Colorado or mosquito activity data, visit the CDPHE website.