A Lengthy Seaside resident lately contracted dengue fever regardless of not touring outdoors of america, metropolis officers have introduced — making this the second such case in California.
Pasadena well being officers confirmed a case of mosquito-borne dengue fever final month in a resident who had additionally not traveled outdoors the U.S.
The Lengthy Seaside resident has recovered and there are not any different suspected instances, metropolis well being officers mentioned in a Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 1, press launch. Native publicity threat stays low.
“The well being and well-being of the neighborhood is our most necessary precedence,” Mayor Rex Richardson mentioned in an announcement. “We’re working carefully with well being officers to do the whole lot we will to forestall extra instances. We ask that everybody do their half by eradicating any standing water on their property to assist us management the mosquitoes in our neighborhoods.”
Dengue is one in all a number of mosquito-borne sickness, like yellow fever or the extra domestically frequent West Nile virus. Dengue is unfold when an Aedes species mosquitoes contaminated with the virus bites a human.
No mosquitoes collected by the Lengthy Seaside Division of Well being and Human Companies have examined optimistic for dengue, the town mentioned.
Dengue fever is unusual within the U.S.. So individuals usually contract it once they journey overseas. Dengue fever is frequent in lots of components of Central and South America, Africa, the Center East, Asia and the Pacific Islands, in response to the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention — with about 4 billion individuals residing the place there’s a threat of the illness.
That’s about half the world’s inhabitants.
As much as 400 million individuals get contaminated with dengue yearly, the CDC mentioned, with about 100 million getting sick and 40,000 dying from extreme instances.
However within the U.S., in response to CDC information, there had solely been 1,437 confirmed instances this 12 months, as of Oct. 25. Solely 583 instances have been domestically acquired — and all however 63 of these have been in Puerto Rico. That information, although, didn’t seem to have been up to date but to incorporate the Pasadena and Lengthy Seaside instances.
About one in 4 individuals who contract dengue fever will develop signs, the Lengthy Seaside well being division mentioned. These signs, which generally final now not than every week, embody:
- Excessive fever.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Rash.
- Aches and pains to the eyes, joints or bones.
Whereas there are not any particular medicines for dengue, Lengthy Seaside mentioned, most individuals recuperate inside two weeks.
“Whereas some individuals could expertise extreme sickness,” Lengthy Seaside mentioned in its press launch, “fatalities from dengue are extraordinarily uncommon.”
Lengthy Seaside officers, like these in Pasadena and Los Angeles County, are working to forestall additional unfold of the virus that carries dengue.
Mosquitoes breed in standing water, and the file rainfalls the area acquired this 12 months sparked worry way back to the spring that the vector’s inhabitants may thrive this 12 months; mosquito-breeding season is Could to October. Certainly, when Pasadena reported the primary dengue case, the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Management District, which incorporates that metropolis, estimated that mosquito populations domestically have been 4 occasions their common, rising the danger for illness.
“One of the best ways to guard oneself from dengue and different ailments unfold by mosquitoes is to keep away from mosquito bites,” Lengthy Seaside’s press launch mentioned. “Aedes mosquitos are energetic through the day and in well-lit areas at night time and solely want a small quantity of water to breed.”
To forestall mosquito bites, the town mentioned, residents ought to:
- Use mosquito repellen.
- Put on loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts and lengthy pants.
- Eradicate standing water round, even tiny quantities — since mosquitos can breed in water as small as a bottle cap.
- Trim weeds, vines, hedges and grass, the place grownup mosquitos wish to relaxation.
- Change water in pet dishes, birdbaths and different small containers weekly.
- Guarantee swimming swimming pools, spas and ponds are correctly maintained. Report uncared for swimming swimming pools to the well being division’s Vector Management Program.
“We’re taking many steps to forestall mosquito-borne infections in Lengthy Seaside,” Metropolis Well being Officer Dr. Anissa Davis mentioned within the Wednesday press launch. “Outreach groups are visiting the neighborhood the place dengue was recognized to offer info on mosquito chunk prevention and methods to regulate mosquito breeding across the dwelling.
“Well being division employees proceed to lure and check mosquitoes in close by areas to search for contaminated mosquitoes,” she added, “and are intensifying efforts to cut back breeding and management mosquito populations.”
