It’s summertime, and there’s mosquitos everywhere! West Nile Virus has been detected in Las Vegas, just 100 miles from the Utah border. Local health officials are urging some major caution as a record number of mosquitos are in the area carrying the deadly virus. Out of 24,000 mosquito pools tested across Nevada, 169 have come back positive for the West Nile Virus. This count surpasses the previous high set years ago!
SYMPTOMS OF WEST NILE VIRUS:
- Fever
- Headache
- Body aches
- Nausea
- Skin rash
- Swollen lymph glands
- Sore throat
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Joint pain
Currently, there’s no vaccine for the West Nile Virus, but it’s important that only 1 in 150 cases are actually life threatening. That means the chances of severe illness are very low, at about 0.67%.
For years, scientists have warned that climate change could lead to an increase in mosquito-borne diseases, and now we’re seeing the effects. The growing mosquito population and spike in West Nile cases in Las Vegas emphasize how climate change is impacting public health. Warmer temperatures and higher rainfall are creating ideal conditions for mosquitoes to breed, extending their season and heightening the risk of disease transmission.
The first West Nile case in Las Vegas was recorded in 2004, following the initial U.S. case in New York City in 1999. The most recent major outbreak in Las Vegas was in 2019, with 43 reported cases. Officials are concerned that this summer could be even worse…