Connecticut authorities have confirmed that a 50-year-old man was infected with the rare Powassan virus and suffered symptoms in the central nervous system after being bitten by a tick. Another person died after infection.
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The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed last week that a 50- to 59-year-old man fell ill in March and suffered a severe illness that affected his central nervous system and required hospitalization.
This is the second high-profile case of this rare, tick-borne virus in the region, Maine reporting a death from Powassan virus just three weeks ago, according to Daily Mail.
The extremely deadly virus attacks a person’s brain and nervous system and has no known vaccines or effective treatments or cures.
The virus is transmitted from animal to human, usually by the bite of a tick or a groundhog. Officials confirmed that the man had been bitten by a tick and warned others to take precautions.
„Identifying a Connecticut resident with a disease associated with Powassan virus underscores the need to take action to prevent tick bites from now until the end of autumn“DPH,” said Commissioner Manisha Juthani in a statement.
“Using insect repellent, avoiding areas where ticks may appear, and carefully checking for ticks after you’ve been outside can reduce the chances of you or your children becoming infected with the virus,” added Dr. Manisha Juthani.
The virus is said to be transmitted by black-footed ticks
The virus is most commonly associated with black-footed ticks, which are most common in the northeastern United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
A person will often feel the symptoms of the virus somewhere between a week and a month after the tick bite.
About one in ten people who are infected with the virus will die, according to authorities. Half of the infected people are also likely to experience some kind of long-term symptoms, officials believe.
Many who are infected may not even know this, however, because most cases are completely asymptomatic.
The first death from Powassan virus this year
Last month, the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) reported that a man had died of the virus, the first case reported this year in the United States.
The Maine man reportedly suffered severe neurological symptoms as a result of his infection, one of the normal symptoms of the virus.
CDC experts in Maine have warned that people who may be camping or hiking in a wooded or bushy area should beware of ticks.
People should avoid going to the deep bushes of this state and instead stay on established routes and routes.
A person should also make sure that it is covered to avoid being bitten and also used insect repellent to repel any creature.
If a person enters an area where there is a high risk of being exposed to a tick, he or she should ensure that he or she is regularly checked for bites and that he or she washes his or her clothes thoroughly afterwards. .
The virus is named after the city where it was discovered, Powassan, Ontario, where it was discovered in a boy in 1958.
It causes about 25 infections in the United States each year.
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