Health advisory issued for EEE
02:04 PM EDT on Monday, July 18, 2005
By Dottie Wikan, WVEC.com
Hampton Roads residents are being warned of a sharp increase in mosquitoes that carry Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).
The Virginia Department of Health on Monday issued a public health advisory for the region after getting positive results in Chesapeake, Suffolk and Norfolk.
"This is unusual, the most we have ever seen for this region," Va. Dept. of Health spokesman Larry Hill told WVEC.com. "We need to prepare to prevent the spreading of it to our animals and ourselves."
Hill noted that West Nile is usually the problem this time of year and that EEE can more serious than West Nile.
Health officials said EE can spread from moquitoes to animals, including birds and horses, to humans in a matter of weeks.
Although EEE in people isn't common, health officials want the public to take measures to avoid mosquito bites.
There is a vaccine to protect horses but not for humans.
Also Online
WVEC.com West Nile Virus/EEE information
To protect yourself from mosquitoes, the Va. Dept. of Health recommends:
Use insect repellent containing DEET
Wear protective clothing
Avoid being outdoors from dusk to dawn when mosquitoes are most likely to bite
Dispose of standing water that can provide breeding sites for mosquitoes
People who do get sick from EEEusually suffer a mild flu-like illness. Those over age 50 are at greatest risk of serious illness, such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord).