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Prevention best West Nile response

With reports of mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus in eastern Connecticut, local medical experts say taking common-sense precautions is the best way to protect yourself.

The most important thing to do is minimize exposure to mosquitoes. Ridding your yard of standing water, wearing long pants and long-sleeve shirts when outdoors and limiting outdoor activity at dusk and dawn are some of the simple steps anyone can take, said Nurse Epidemiologist Robin Heard of The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich.

People can become infected when bitten by a mosquito carrying West Nile virus. There have been no confirmed cases of West Nile Virus in Connecticut, but the state Department of Public Health continues to test birds and mosquitoes. While there have been fatal cases of the virus in other parts of the country since 1996, it is primarily an illness that affects the elderly or those with weakened immune systems, Heard said.

While precautions are necessary, the chances of developing severe symptoms from the illness are rare. Heard said studies show that 80 percent of people bitten by mosquitoes carrying West Nile have no symptoms. About 20 percent develop a fever and less than 1 percent develop more widespread symptoms that can include headache, rash, swollen lymph nodes, weakened muscles and vomiting. Only 0.1 percent of cases are fatal.

See a doctor if you develop symptoms like high fever, confusion, muscle weakness or severe headaches.