Two
children under the age of 15 who live in the eastern part of the
county were admitted to the hospital Wednesday diagnosed with the illness.
They were later released following treatment.
The
Kanawha-Charleston Health Department is currently undergoing an investigation
into the two cases.
Officials
with the health department said most people who get La Crosse
Some
may have a mild illness and symptoms that include headache, fever, nausea,
vomiting, drowsiness and confusion. In severe cases, people can have seizures
or go into a coma.
Children
are most likely to get the disease if they live near the woods and play outside
near areas where mosquitoes breed.
Officials
recommend people and children steer clear of areas where there are containers
that hold standing water such as old tires, rain barrels, buckets and wading
pools. Mosquitoes breed between May and October.
The
health department also recommends wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants
when outdoors, avoiding outdoor activities at dusk and dawn, making sure doors
and screens are tight enough to keep bugs out and using
effective insect repellant to avoid catching the illness.
effective insect repellant to avoid catching the illness.
Mosquitoes
are regularly tested for diseases that can be given to humans by health
officials in the state. The La Crosse virus was
found in several counties, including a site in the eastern part of Kanawha County
Last
year, there was only one case of La Crosse
encephalitis in all of Kanawha
County
