FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 10, 2018

COLUMBIA, S.C. - A Greenville County individual has died from West Nile Virus, the first such occurrence in South Carolina this year.

In 2018, the Department of Health and Environmental Control has confirmed seven human cases of West Nile Virus. Five of the seven confirmed human cases are from the Upstate region. Along with the human cases, there have been the detection of West Nile Virus in five birds and one horse.

The risk of serious illness or death from West Nile Virus is low. Less than one percent of people infected develop a potentially fatal swelling of the brain, known as encephalitis. Most people infected with West Nile virus have no symptoms. About one in five people infected becomes ill within two to 14 days with symptoms including fever, headache, joint pain, muscle pain, and occasionally nausea and vomiting. They may often experience sensitivity to light and inflammation of the eyelids, and some may have a rash.

"If you develop fever or other symptoms after being bitten by a mosquito, you should contact your health care provider," said Dr. Linda Bell, SC State Epidemiologist.

DHEC stresses the importance of paying attention to the most effective ways to prevent mosquito-borne illnesses, including West Nile Virus:

• Repellents help keep mosquitoes from biting. Apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR 3535 according to label instructions.
• Make sure that your doors and windows have tight-fitting screens to keep out mosquitoes.
• Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property, including flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, birdbaths, old car tires, rain gutters and pet bowls.
• Wearing light-colored clothing to cover the skin reduces the risk of bites.

More information on West Nile Virus can be found at www.scdhec.gov/westnile and on YouTube at https://youtu.be/hI69ytA-D1w.