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TRENTON -The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services
announced that a third New Jersey resident has been infected with
West Nile virus.
A
39-year old Trenton, Mercer County man has tested positive for West
Nile Virus. The man began showing symptoms of headaches, fever,
chills and changes in mental status on August 26 and was admitted
to St. Francis Medical Center September 2. The man is in serious
but stable condition.
The
state lab received samples for testing on Tuesday, September 10.
Those samples tested positive today.
The
patient does not have a history of recent blood transfusions or
organ transplants.
All
three New Jersey individuals with West Nile virus live in Mercer
County. The new patient is the 21st case in New Jersey since 1999.
There have been nearly 1,300 cases reported nationwide to the federal
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those, there have
been 54 West Nile virus-related deaths nationwide this year, none
in New Jersey.
On
September 4, a 77-year-old Ewing man was the first person to test
positive for the West Nile Virus this year. A 62-year old Mercerville
man tested positive for West Nile Virus on September 6.
In total, 78 residents are being tested for West Nile virus testing
this season. Blood and/or spinal fluid samples from these individuals
are in the process of being tested for the presence of West Nile.
These individuals met the established criteria for West Nile testing.
To date, 33 people have tested negative, 42 people are pending test
results and 3 are positive. In Mercer County, a total of 94 birds
have been tested and 40 are positive. The remaining cass are negative.
Human testing for WNV is conducted at the New Jersey Department
of Health and Senior Services' Public Health and Environmental Laboratories
in Trenton and at public health labs in other states. Testing results
are sent to the CDC for confirmation.
New Jersey Health and Senior Services Commissioner Clifton R. Lacy,
M.D., reminds all New Jersey residents to continue taking appropriate
precautions to reduce risk of mosquito bites.
"Residents
can protect themselves from infection by using insect repellent
according to labeled directions and wearing long-sleeved clothing,
especially at dawn, dusk and during the evening,'' Dr. Lacy said.
"People should also keep window screens in good repair and
eliminate standing water where mosquitoes can breed.''
The virus has been detected in birds and mosquitoes in all but one
county in the state.
"The
state is still at that part of the season when the risk is highest
for human infection,'' said State Epidemiologist Eddy Bresnitz,
M.D.
For
more information on West Nile, visit the state's home page at www.state.nj.us/health
and click on "West Nile virus.''
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