Officials Identify Likely Case of West Nile Virus

A Lancaster County resident is recovering from what may be Nebraska’s first case of West Nile virus in humans this year, a health official said Friday.

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department is alerting area health care providers about the possible case, said Tim Timmons, the agency’s communicable disease program supervisor.

The department is awaiting confirmation of the case, involving a woman in her 50s, from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Meanwhile, the Iowa Health Department reported Friday that a dead blue jay recovered in Pottawattamie County has tested positive for the virus, the sixth such report in the state this year. No cases have been reported in humans in Iowa this year.

West Nile activity has been low this year in Nebraska and Iowa compared to last year and considerably less than in 2003. There were no deaths in Nebraska in 2004 and two in Iowa. In 2003, the virus killed 29 Nebraskans and six Iowans.

In people, the virus usually causes flulike illness or no symptoms at all, but it can cause brain damage. People get the virus from mosquitoes that have bitten infected birds.

Precautions include avoiding outdoor activities at dawn and sunset, keeping skin covered with clothing and using insect repellent. The most commonly available contain DEET, but federal approval was given this year for repellents containing oil of lemon eucalyptus and picardin. Areas of standing water should be emptied and screens repaired.