West Nile (Emmett: transplants, disposing, professionals)

[Dwatted Wabbit]

I wouldn't worry too much about West Nile, or bird flu either.
They get lots of air time, which IMO is an effort to produce headlines and readership/viewership by creating panic. Your chances of getting racked up in a car crash driving to visit some place that may have had three cases of WN/BF in the last five years far exceeds any "pandemic" you're likely to see outside of a movie theater or in the mind of some modern snake oil salesman.
Not intending to be disrespectful, just saying that the headlines far outrank the danger.

[BudinAk]

Thanks to all for the heads-up and replies. Idaho is 2nd only to Texas in number of fatalities (16 vs 29 in yr 2006) from complications of this virus. I would say having bug repellant handy is good advice. It appears from the state and federal data that the worst of it is in the bottem half of the state. Looks like it is rare up in the panhandle. (Are there less mosquitoes up there, or is there some other reason for this? Maybe the counties with fewer cases simply have way less people, but just as many bugs?) Are skeeter "swarms" a big problem in ID?
http://diseasemaps.usgs.gov/wnv_id_human.html

Bud

[TOPGUN]

Originally Posted by Dwatted Wabbit

I wouldn't worry too much about West Nile, or bird flu either.
They get lots of air time, which IMO is an effort to produce headlines and readership/viewership by creating panic. Your chances of getting racked up in a car crash driving to visit some place that may have had three cases of WN/BF in the last five years far exceeds any "pandemic" you're likely to see outside of a movie theater or in the mind of some modern snake oil salesman.
Not intending to be disrespectful, just saying that the headlines far outrank the danger.

Yah, 996 reported cases....nothing to worry about!

[cleosmom]

Originally Posted by Dwatted Wabbit

I wouldn't worry too much about West Nile, or bird flu either.
They get lots of air time, which IMO is an effort to produce headlines and readership/viewership by creating panic. Your chances of getting racked up in a car crash driving to visit some place that may have had three cases of WN/BF in the last five years far exceeds any "pandemic" you're likely to see outside of a movie theater or in the mind of some modern snake oil salesman.
Not intending to be disrespectful, just saying that the headlines far outrank the danger.

Headlines? Try reading CDC's website, a leap more than three cases to say the least try nearly 1,000.

[Torrie]

I agree, West Nile is something you need to pay attention too. Last year was the first year the the county sprayed for mosquitos in my area (Ada county). It seems to affect the elderly and the very young. Sure hope they spray again this year. If you live by any body of water you should be careful and wear repellent all the time.

[ReturningWest]

We've been fighting WNV for a while here in GA and you might check with feed stores. Those of us with horses use several methods to fight off bugs.

I can't remember the name of the stuff off the top of my head but it's a SAFE product that you can sprinkle around your yard and put in water troughs for horses. I've used it the last several years and it certainly has helped.

[cleosmom]

Bumping this thread back to the top considering the time of year

[Torrie]

I think they will probably try to spray again this year, but I don't think they will do it until August. Last year I remember they kept trying to spray parts of Canyon County but it there was just enough wind that they couldn't seem to finish the job.

[brokencrayola]

A collegue of my husband's just got West Nile Virus. He lives in Orofino,

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by cleosmom

Bumping this thread back to the top considering the time of year

Thanks, Cleosmom, for pulling this thread out. I didn't know it existed from last year, as I didn't go through all the pages. That is why posted information for eastern ID on the Hospital/Medicare Care thread for Idaho Falls.

Given how the Internet works, based on the ranking system and what words people use to search their requests, I think I'll keep information update on that thread too. Some research "medical care" etc. for trips, but don't stop to specifically think of WNV. If you know how to cross-post, please do. I'm not sure about the rules of doing that here.

brokencrayola wrote, "A collegue of my husband's just got West Nile Virus. He lives in Orofino.".

So sorry to hear this news, brokencrayola. If he was the gentlemen mentioned in the state dept of health's report (which I believe he was - Payette County, if I recall correctly- but might be wrong?), it sounded like your husband's colleague and the Ada-County man were both doing alright for now.


ReturningWest - - You have an excellent suggestion of where to turn get practical hep (a local feed store). As you mention, you've been dealing with WNV for much longer than those in ID, so you will have already used potential resources we've not thought of yet. Thanks for such a good practical suggestion.