If this is not the case, then alternate arrangements should be decided upon. October activities for the elderly should be a special concern because most SLE cases are in this age group. The Department of Health will continue testing sentinel chickens to monitor for the presence of the SLE virus, and conduct extensive surveillance for cases in humans. In addition, county health departments, the Department of Agriculture and mosquito control districts will continue mosquito control efforts in residential and recreational areas. SLE originates in wild birds.
Mosquitoes feed upon the wild birds and pass the virus on to humans.
The mosquito found to carry the virus most often is the Culex nigripalpus, a small, brown mosquito with a soft bite that is hard to detect. The onset of SLE usually occurs within 4-21 days after being bitten by a mosquito carrying the disease. Symptoms include fever, headache, stiff neck, dizziness, weakness, confusion, swelling of the brain and, in the most severe cases, coma and death. The elderly, young children and those with compromised immune systems are most susceptible to the virus. Minimize gardening and other outdoor activities at dusk and during evening hours.