Maine resident dies as rare Powassan virus claims year’s first victim

Maine well being officers have reported this 12 months’s first loss of life from the Powassan virus case in a Sagadahoc County resident, saying the deceased grownup had developed neurologic signs, reported Fox Information Friday.

The case was additionally confirmed by the state’s Heart for Illness Management and Prevention.

The resident was declared useless after changing into contaminated with the virus.

Powassan circumstances are very uncommon within the US with 25 circumstances being reported annually since 2015. Maine has additionally recognized 15 different circumstances together with new 4 circumstances final 12 months.

Those that get contaminated don’t present signs. Nevertheless, for many who present signs, the time from getting bitten to unwell can vary from every week as much as a month which incorporates fever, headache, vomiting, weak spot, confusion, seizures or reminiscence loss, and a few individuals might expertise severe neurologic issues, like mind or spinal wire irritation.

Since 2015, it was the third loss of life recorded by Powassan within the state.

The virus is contracted as an contaminated deer tick or woodchuck tick bites individuals. These ticks are lively when the temperature is above freezing, however they’re reportedly extra lively within the spring, summer time and fall seasons.

About 10% of these with extreme illness die.

The ticks are present in shrubby and leafy areas and are current in all 16 counties of Maine.

The division suggested that they’re presently lively, so anybody spending time outdoor ought to take steps to restrict their publicity to ticks. 

The division additionally stated: “Folks to ensure they’re taking precautions in areas the place ticks might stay, together with sporting light-coloured clothes, masking legs and arms, tucking pants into socks, utilizing an EPA-approved repellent and checking for ticks day by day and after any outside exercise.”

Officers additionally recommended individuals “to take away their clothes once they return dwelling and put them within the dryer earlier than washing, utilizing excessive warmth for 10-Quarter-hour to kill any crawling ticks.”