West Nile Virus Found Near School
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Updated: 2:38 AM Aug 27, 2008
West Nile Virus Found Near School
More West Nile Virus (WNV) is showing up in the Kanawha Valley and this time it's near a school.
Posted: 10:13 AM Aug 26, 2008
Reporter: Anna Baxter
Email Address: anna.baxter@wsaz.com
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UPDATE @ 6pm
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- On the first day of school Capital High School students are learning about West Nile.

The virus was found on school grounds.

Mosquitoes near the school's soccer field tested positive for West Nile.

Now the school is taking extra precautions to keep students safe. The first day of school jitters of a different kind for parents.

EPA inspectors found mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus in a swampland on Capital High School grounds.

Now the soccer field is off limits for students.

Symptoms include a severe headache, nausea, vomiting and a high fever.

People usually develop those symptoms three to 14 days after they're bitten, but the likelihood of getting sick is slim.

But school officials would rather be safe than sorry.

The area is protected swampland and can't be drained, so they’re working with the environmental protection agency to get approval to treat this swampland with a stronger insecticide.

Health officials say West Nile virus is here to stay.



ORIGINAL STORY
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- More West Nile Virus (WNV) is showing up in the Kanawha Valley and this time it's near a school.

A spokesperson with the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department says another WNV positive mosquito pool has been identified near Capital High School's soccer field.

According to a press release, "the area is protected swampland and can not be drained, however the Kanawha County Board of Education is working with the Environmental Protection Agency to use the strongest insecticide possible to effectively treat the area."

The first WNV found in 2008 in Kanawha County was identified in early June in the Big Bend Area of Tornado.

Health officials say the virus is here to stay, and won't come and go as it has in previous years.

The virus infects a variety of species from birds to humans. Mosquitoes get the virus by feeding on an infected bird and then the mosquito bites a person.

The symptoms include fever, headache, and seizures.


Latest Comments

Posted by: Shelby on Aug 31, 2008 at 01:27 PM

Forget about the kids let the mosquitos. They have feelings also. How would you like it if people came to your house and destroyed it and killed you and your family?
Posted by: HMW on Aug 28, 2008 at 10:18 AM

AS A PARENT OF A CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, I REALLY APPRECIATED FINDING OUT ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON THE 8/26 EDITION OF 11 P.M. NEWS. WHY WAS PARENTS NOT NOTIFIED. THERE WAS NO LETTER SENT HOME WITH STUDENTS INFORMING PARENTS OF THIS PROBLEM AND THEN TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT ON THE NEWS. NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS FURIOUS OVER THE TOTAL LACK OF CONCERN BY THE KANAWHA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD AND CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL ADMIN.
Posted by: Helen on Aug 27, 2008 at 10:55 AM

How absoulutely ridiculus! Save the swamp! I recycle and try to be "earth friendly" but there needs to be some common sense used with the decisions that affect the humans that live on this planet. It seems those "in charge" dont have much sometimes! They need to do away with the swamp and build some more facilites for the kids anyway!
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