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A 65-year-old Bernalillo County woman has died of West Nile virus during what is shaping up as a bad mosquito season, health officials reported Friday.
The death marks New Mexico’s second fatal case this year of the mosquito-borne viral illness. The other death took the life of a Sandoval County resident over the age of 65, the New Mexico Department of Health reported.
“We’ve had another bad mosquito season this year and our focus remains on prevention methods to protect public health,” said Dr. Mark DiMenna, director of Albuquerque’s Environmental Health department.
“Mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus will be around until there is a good hard frost in the area, and we urge people to continue to take precautions against mosquito bites throughout the rest of the season.”
The two deaths are among six neuroinvasive cases of West Nile disease reported in New Mexico this year, DOH reported. They include one in Union County, two in Sandoval County and three in Bernalillo County.
Health officials are working to keep down mosquito populations, said Kellison Platero, Bernalillo County’s health protection manager.
“We continue to ask citizens to be mindful of standing water within their neighborhood and to keep water from accumulating in small pockets around their property,” Platero said in a written statement.
People can take steps to avoid mosquito bites. They include:
- Use insect repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535 on exposed skin and clothing when outdoors.
- Eliminate water-holding containers where mosquitoes lay their eggs, such as old tires, and regularly change the water in birdbaths, wading pools and pet water bowls.
- Limit outdoor activities near dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most actively biting. Tightly screen windows and rain barrels.
- Keep windows and doors closed if they do not have screens.
