https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/02/health/powassan-tick-virus-death/index.html
Rare tick-borne virus, Powassan virus, kills resident of New York
https://www.cdc.gov/powassan/index.html
A rare virus spread by ticks has caused a fatality in New York, health officials in Ulster County said Thursday.
A resident of Gardiner,
New York, became the first diagnosis of Powassan virus in the state this
year. The victim of the virus did have an underlying condition,
the health department said.
Though rare, the virus
-- which cannot be treated with
antibiotics -- is often serious, according to the
Ulster County Health Department.
Authorities in Ulster County are
urging residents to be on alert for ticks that could carry
Powassan.
One type of Powassan virus (lineage 2
or “deer tick virus”) is carried by the
blacklegged tick (deer tick), the same tick
that spreads Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. The
blacklegged tick can be found in many wooded areas
of Minnesota.
"It is imperative that all
residents take every precaution necessary against tick-borne
illnesses, especially during outdoor activities.
Residents should vigilantly check
themselves and their pets for ticks and tick bites," Dr. Carol
M. Smith, Ulster County Commissioner of Health and Mental
Health, said in a statement.
Smith also recommended people
spending time outside should wear light-colored clothing,
stick to well-traveled path and use insect repellents
containing DEET.
Spread by infected deer ticks, Powassan virus can
cause fever, headache, vomiting, loss of coordination and
memory and speech problems, however it often does not present
with any symptoms, according to the CDC.
It can also cause encephalitis
and meningitis, according to the CDC.
Those who have been bitten and
experience any of the common symptoms should consult a doctor,
Smith said.
In 2018, states reported 21
cases of Powassan virus disease to the US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. Three people died.
Most cases occur in the
Northeast and Great Lakes regions from the late spring
through mid-fall when ticks are most active, the CDC
said.
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/avoid/index.html
http://www.woodsmall.com/Powassan-Tick-borne-virus.html