AP Top News - 07/23/2001 Fla. Man Tests Positive on West Nile

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- A Florida man has tested positive for West Nile virus, the state's first known case of a human contracting the potentially deadly disease.

Officials at the Department of Health said Monday they believe the patient has the virus, although federal officials are also testing him. The man is hospitalized in intensive care.

''He is quite sick,'' state epidemiologist Steven Wiersma said. Wiersma said the northern Florida man, whose name was not released, is more than 50 years old.

Mosquitoes can transmit the virus to people, birds and other animals. The disease usually causes only flu-like symptoms, although it can kill older people or those with weakened immune systems. It has killed nine people in New York and New Jersey in the last two years.

The virus has been found in birds in seven north Florida counties since it was first detected in early July. A horse died from the disease.

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

Answers

They mentioned this on the news last night. Because of all the rain we have had, and continue to have, the mosquito population is going to go into overdrive. Not quite what we want with WNV around...

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

I thought of you living in Florida when I read the article. Gauze shirts and spray may become your best friends.

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

And hats. The little suckers get me on the head too. Maybe we can do what the Ozzies do, hang corks all around the brim, lol.

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

Ozzies, Old Git, Ozzies with hanging corks? Is that a racial slur?

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

Would be nice if they would announce on the news that everyone should check their properties for items that are holding standing water. The little buggers love those places.

We have more of a problem with Gnats, actually. I go out back sometimes with cheap hairspray and spray the clouds of Gnats. I just love watching them fall. Unfortunately I occasionally get a dragonfly or two.

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

Barefoot, CNN had talked about being careful of any standing water and to check around their homes for it, because of the danger of it being a potential breeding ground for mesquitos. ************************************************************

Florida County to Spray for Mosquitoes After Man Tests Positive for West Nile Virus

By David Royse Associated Press Writer Published: Jul 24, 2001

MADISON, Fla. (AP) - Officials in a rural Florida county cleared the way Tuesday for aerial spraying against mosquitoes after a man became the first in the state to contract the potentially fatal West Nile virus. "We're starting to get a fear factor," said Thomas Moffses, the city manager in Madison. "I don't want to minimize this, but I don't want people to panic."

State agriculture officials did not immediately say when they would begin spraying the pesticide Dibrom in parts of Madison County. They received unanimous approval from county commissioners Tuesday.

Seymore Carruthers, 73, remained hospitalized in critical condition after being infected last week.

Health officials said he tested positive for the virus, though they are awaiting confirmation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

West Nile virus has been known to exist in the United States only since 1999 and was first detected in Florida in early July. Scientists still don't know what species of mosquito is carrying the virus, which killed nine people in New York and New Jersey two years ago.

"At this point, it's just a shotgun approach" to fight the mosquitoes, said Wayne Gale, a mosquito control specialist with the state Agriculture Department. "We don't know which mosquito to target."

In Madison County, an area of rolling hills dotted by horse farms between Tallahassee and Jacksonville, community members urged officials to spray as much as possible.

"I don't really care that it's more expensive, I just care about myself, my family, my neighbors and my livestock," said Jim Haddon, who raises horses in Cherry Lake. "Obviously, the prime motivation is people, I understand that. But I'm very concerned about my horses."

For most people, the virus only causes a flu-like sickness and many who are exposed don't get sick at all. It is mostly a concern for the elderly.

On Monday, state health officials extended a medical alert for West Nile and other mosquito-borne viruses to 14 counties, all in northern Florida.

CDC spokeswoman Barbara Reynolds said the virus is in the United States to stay.

"We can't predict how the virus will spread," she said. "There's more that we don't know about how this virus will act in the United States than what we do know."

---

On the Net:

Centers for Disease Control: http://www.cdc.gov

AP-ES-07-24-01 1707EDT

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

Gordon--would you like to meet one of my cats (evil grin)? Maybe the one named Rambo? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001

Does Rambo eat mosquitoes?

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001