Marion County has recorded its first ever death from West Nile Encephalitis. Marion County Health Department Director of Nursing Shelly Yoder says the 74-year-old female from Centralia died late last month. In addition, Marion County has had two other human cases of West Nile confirmed this year. Both of those patients recovered without hospital treatment. Yoder is unsure why the Centralia area has been so hard hit this year and says as doctors become more aware of West Nile more testing is being completed. Yoder says the key to avoiding West Nile is to protect yourself against mosquitoes. "The best way of doing that is not to be outside when mosquitoes are most active which is usually between dusk and dawn.Also whenever they are outside you should wear shoes and socks, long pants and long sleeved shirts if possible, and apply insect repellent. Also in the home make sure doors andwindows have tight fitting screens, and eliminated any source of standing water around the home such as a bird bath, flower pot, or anything that may have water standing in it," Yoder said.She notesmost people only receive a mild reaction or no reaction at all if bitten by an infected mosquito. Ironically, the Health Department's Director of Environmental Health Melissa Mallow says no birds have been sent in for testing and no positive mosquito samples have been recorded this year. She notes the amount of testing has been reduced this year due to budget cuts. Mallow says the threat from mosquitoes should disappear after the first hard frost. - http://goo.gl/4lqNT
