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West Nile Virus survivor recommends prevention
A second survivor of the West Nile Virus came forward Thursday, talking about the dangers of the deadly virus. This comes after the health department issued another warning to Kern County residents. The health department said all residents need to take the threat of the deadly virus more seriously.A second survivor of the West Nile Virus came forward Thursday, talking about the dangers of the deadly virus.
This comes after the health department issued another warning to Kern County residents.
The health department said all residents need to take the threat of the deadly virus more seriously.
In the past, they've stressed West Nile affects children and the elderly more than others, but like one West Nile Virus survivor said, he didn't know it's the middle-aged people, from 30-60 years old, that may be most at risk.
"I don't know where I contracted it," said West Nile Virus survivor Matthew Arambula, 38. "It couldn't have been at work. At 6 a.m., mosquitoes are out then, or at the ball field with my kids, I don't even know where I got bit."
Arambula never thought he could catch West Nile Virus, but a call from a local blood bank broke the news to him.
"Houchin [Blood Bank] called, 'Matthew, we have something to tell you ... don't get scared,'" Arambula explained. "I said, 'What's wrong?' . They said I had West Nile . and asked how I'd been feeling ... I said, 'Well, my back's sore, I can't get out of bed, I'm going to call in sick.' They said, 'Go see a doctor right away.'"
People like Arambula were the focus of a health department news conference Thursday.
Director of Disease Control Dr. Boyce Dulan said mosquitoes don't care how old you are when they bite, so the focus for all residents in Kern County, the epicenter of West Nile, is prevention.
"Don't get bitten and we can put a lid on this disease," Dulan said.
Statewide there are 137 cases of West Nile Virus with 78 cases in Kern County. Fresno only has nine cases of West Nile Virus.
Two weeks ago, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency for Kern County after seeing the alarming number of West Nile cases.
The emergency funds freed up nearly $200,000 to help Kern County fight the bite.
Rob Quiring with Kern Mosquito and Vector Control said last week's aerial spraying killed 90 percent of mosquitoes in their test pods, but said they've still got a long way to go in treating mosquito breeding grounds.
Meantime, Arambula said beware.
"Protect yourself, protect your kids," he said. "Don't think it can't happen to you because it can . We used to joke about it at work . a little mosquito can't bring down a big guy ... well, it did."
The state has provided thousands of boxes of insect repellant to the local health department. They will be giving out a Cutter insect repellant at public events in the future.
Visit WestNile.ca.gov, CDPH.ca.gov, CDC.gov/westnile, or co.kern.ca.us/health.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20416488/
