Gov. Lynch Declares Public Health Threat Due to West Nile Virus

Gov. John Lynch on Friday concurred with a recommendation by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, and in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that a public health situation exists in several communities in southern New Hampshire due to the detection of West Nile Virus in several mosquito batches.

Under state statute, by concurring with the recommendation, towns are allowed to take measures to address the threat, including spraying for mosquitoes.

The communities included in the declaration are Amherst, Atkinson, Auburn, Bedford, Brentwood, Candia, Chester, Danville, Derry, East Kingston, Epping, Exeter, Fremont, Goffstown, Greenland, Hampstead, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Hollis, Hooksett, Hudson, Kensington, Kingston, Litchfield, Londonderry, Manchester, Merrimack, Nashua, New Castle, Newfields, Newington, Newmarket, Newton, North Hampton, Pelham, Plaistow, Portsmouth, Raymond, Rye, Salem, Sandown, Seabrook, South Hampton, Stratham and Windham.


2012 West Nile virus update: as of August 21

Thus far in 2012, 47 states have reported West Nile virus infections in people, birds, or mosquitoes. A total of 1118 cases of West Nile virus disease in people, including 41 deaths, have been reported to CDC. Of these, 629 (56%) were classified as neuroinvasive disease (such as meningitis or encephalitis) and 489 (44%) were classified as non-neuroinvasive disease.

The 1118 cases reported thus far in 2012 is the highest number of West Nile virus disease cases reported to CDC through the third week in August since West Nile virus was first detected in the United States in 1999. Approximately 75 percent of the cases have been reported from 5 states (Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Dakota, and Oklahoma) and almost half of all cases have been reported from Texas.

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