Six human cases across the two regions have prompted the S.C. Department of Public Health to urge residents to guard against mosquito bites.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health has confirmed West Nile virus outbreaks in the Midlands and Lowcountry, according to the agency.
Four human cases were diagnosed in the Midlands and two in the Lowcountry within a similar time frame and geographic area, meeting the agency’s definition of an outbreak, DPH said.
West Nile virus spreads only through the bite of an infected mosquito and cannot pass between people, according to DPH.
The agency is advising residents to use insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, IR3535 or 2-Undecanone, wear clothing that limits skin exposure, avoid outdoor activity during peak mosquito biting times, install tight-fitting window and door screens, and remove standing water from items such as flowerpots, tires, gutters and pet bowls.
“Most people infected with West Nile virus have no symptoms,” said Dr. Abdoulaye Diedhiou, state epidemiologist. “The risk of serious illness is low, with less than one percent of people infected developing encephalitis, a potentially fatal swelling of the brain. However, we urge residents in the area to take this alert seriously and take the precautions advised to further lower their risk of contracting West Nile virus.”
About one in five infected people become ill within two to 14 days, with symptoms that can include fever, headache, joint and muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity, eyelid inflammation and rash, DPH said. The agency recommends contacting a health care provider if fever or other symptoms develop after a mosquito bite.
DPH said it works with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to monitor mosquito-borne diseases and advises local governments on response efforts, but does not itself conduct mosquito control, which is managed locally. The agency is urging local governments to review or create ordinances aimed at reducing standing water that serves as mosquito breeding habitat.
More information is available at dph.sc.gov/mosquitoes, according to the agency.
Based on a release from S.C. Dept. of Public Health.
