West Nile Virus Update

The first Arizona West Nile Virus (WNV) fatality has been confirmed by the AZ State Health Laboratory.

The case patient was an elderly woman in Maricopa County who developed WNV encephalitis back in June.

Maricopa County is issuing a press release this afternoon.

The current human case count in Arizona is 11 cases, including ten in Maricopa County and one in Pinal.

Mosquito Update

Current Stats (as of July 13):     109 mosquito pools have tested positive for WNV:

• Maricopa – 90
• Pinal – 18
• Yuma – 1

The East Valley (Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Queen Creek, etc.) continues to be a zone of intense WNV activity.

Please protect your families and pets by wearing mosquito repellant, reducing stagnate water around your property, and calling Maricopa county vector control when you spot “Green” pools in your neighborhood. 

For more information on Mosquitoes and their control call Invader Pest Management at 623-435-0228.

Mosquito control in Arizona is becoming an extremely important issue especially in Phoenix, Mesa, Gilbert, Tempe, Glendale and all surrounding valley cities.  I just received my regular weekly report on mosquitoes and the tracking of West Nile Virus and there is a growing concern due to an up rise in human cases of the West Nile Virus.  There will be a press release sent out by the affected Counties and Arizona Department of Health Services later today, and all the news stations will probably pick this up. 

What can you do to protect yourself?

• Make sure you and your family are wearing mosquito repellant when spending much time outside.
• With Monsoon Season here, make sure that you have nothing around your property that will collect and hold rainfall.  Mosquitoes only need 3 days to breed.
• Make sure your doors and windows are properly screened.
• Utilize bug lights or shut exterior lights off (where possible).
• Make sure you don’t have a “GREEN” swimming pool next door.
• Call your city or county to file a complaint, this is also important for tracking purposes.
  • In Maricopa County
    • File a complaint   Call 602-506-6616
    • http://www.maricopa.gov/envsvc/Complaints/Forms/ComplaintInput.aspx?category=39
• Call Invader Pest Management for Mosquito Control  623-435-0228

Below is today’s report

Human Cases

The WNV picture has taken a more serious turn this week.

Six clinical human cases of WNV have now been reported, including five in Maricopa County and one in Pinal County.

Most of the cases have neuroinvasive infections (meningitis and/or encephalitis).

Also reported are thee WNV viremic blood donors identified through the blood screening programs of the blood collection agencies.  One of the viremic donors developed clinical illness and is also counted among the six cases.

All of the cases and viremic donors have occurred within the WVN hot zone in the East Valley (as identified by mosquito surveillance efforts).

Mosquito Update

As of July 7, 2010, there are at least 89 WNV+ mosquito pools reported in three counties.

• Maricopa –  80+
• Pinal – 8
• Yuma – 1

Because of the appearance of human cases, a joint press release between the ADHS and Maricopa and Pinal counties is being drafted for release.  It will most likely go out today.

Now that human WNV cases are being reported, and the numbers are changing frequently, we will try to update these WNV numbers once a week – usually on Thursday afternoon, or Friday morning.  The idea is to try to keep everyone on the same page, same stats, and same time so that consistent messages and stats are going out from different agencies.  On rare occasions, we may have to issue updates off-schedule  –  such as when there are significant events (e.g. WNV fatality, new location, media release, etc.).