‘I was on the other side, with one foot in the other world’
A man remembers his struggle for life that started with a tiny mosquito.
What’s going on?
In 2007, David Hancock, living in Glendale, Arizona, began feeling very ill with a sudden fever and vomiting. When he was hospitalized, it took doctors 10 days to diagnose him. Meanwhile, he fell into a coma, suffered heart failure, his lungs filled with fluid and his brain became inflamed.
“I was on the other side, with one foot in the other world,” he said German WelleHe outlined his experience with West Nile virus, a disease that can be transmitted to humans through mosquito bites.
Why is West Nile virus a concern?
Although most people who contract West Nile virus never know it, one in five people will experience body aches and other flu-like symptoms, according to research. Cleveland Clinic. Others, like Hancock, face much more worrying consequences. More than once every year 1,300 According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Americans who contract West Nile develop serious illnesses that affect the central nervous system. More than 130 of them died, the agency adds.
Meanwhile, cases of West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue fever and Zika are also on the rise; Rising global temperatures are helping mosquitoes move to new regions and lengthening their active seasons. Many parts of the U.S. have experienced surges in West Nile virus this year: Bell County in Texas reported six positive tests in six weeks, a spike in cases in one area of Utah led to one death, and the number of cases reported nationwide in September was 40% higher than normal.
What is being done about mosquito-borne diseases?
One of the most important things anyone can do to avoid getting sick is to prevent mosquito bites. CDC recommendation Use of insect repellents registered with the Environmental Protection Agency; wearing long, loose-fitting clothing when outside and treating with permethrin; and taking measures to control mosquitoes inside and outside the home.
Many agencies assist in mosquito control efforts by spraying local communities when needed. Some cities and counties are also taking a more creative approach to mosquito control. For example, one county in Florida uses X-rays to sterilize male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. This species can carry a number of mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue fever and Zika.
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