Steve Quayle News Alerts

August 7, 2003
By PETER WALKER
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

Two Pueblo women died last week from West Nile virus, Pueblo City/County Health Department officials said Wednesday. They were aged 83 and 84.

A fourth Colorado death also was announced Wednesday in Larimer County. That victim was a 68-year-old Fort Collins woman who died Sunday.

The three deaths come on the heels of the first announced West Nile death in Colorado on Tuesday, 77-year-old Maria Flores of Greeley who died Friday. She also suffered from diabetes and leukemia.

Health department officials would not release the names of either Pueblo women and said they did not yet know if the women suffered from other ailments such as Flores did.

They are also still investigating if the women died of West Nile virus fever, or the more severe encephalitis or meningitis.

Maio said officials have not established whether the Pueblo women knew each other or had any connections or contact before their deaths.

She said both were residents of the city.

In response to the deaths, City Manager Lee Evett has instructed the health department to request additional equipment for spraying equipment and chemicals.

The health department spends an average of $50,000 each year on mosquito control, which Maio said was "very low; very economical."

Maio expects that figure to be much higher this year. The health department is in the process of requesting an additional sprayer truck (it has four) and additional funds for community outreach, which Maio hopes will be available as quickly as possible for use in this year's season. Maio estimated the cost of the request at "less than $50,000."

Jane Anne Hollandsworth, director of the Family and Community Health Division of the Pueblo City-County Health Department, said the odds were 1-in-150 that a person bitten by an infected mosquito would develop a serious illness. One in five may develop any symptoms, she said. Most people will have West Nile fever, which Hollandsworth described as "a mild illness."

Heather Maio, director of environmental health with the Pueblo health department, said condolences from the department went out to the victims' families.

"We had hoped to avoid any deaths from this disease this year, but that is somewhat of an unrealistic goal," Maio said.

Local health officials also confirmed 10 additional cases of West Nile in humans in Pueblo County to date. Four of the cases were fever, one was encephalitis and five were meningitis.

Colorado has 111 confirmed human cases and 89 suspected cases, according to Cindy Parmenter of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

The average age in the state for individuals with West Nile is 43, Maio said.

Maio said she is hopeful that the two deaths will serve as a wake-up call to Puebloans. She recommended following safety guidelines such as using an insect repellent with DEET, draining any standing water in places such as birdbaths and, if necessary, avoiding the outside during dawn and dusk hours.

http://www.chieftain.com/thursday/news/index/article/1