Remember West Nile Virus?

The summer of 2006, West Nile Virus was in the news nearly every day in Idaho, and with good reason: there were nearly 1000 reported cases and 21 deaths (according to CDC statistics) due to the virus. It seemed like everyone knew at least one person who had been infected.

But as the Idaho Statesman reported last Friday, 2007 has been a far quieter year for West Nile Virus in Idaho. So far this year, there have been well under 100 reported cases and no deaths. This graphic summarizes the drop in cases between last year and this year.

In preparation for the 2007 mosquito season, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare's Fight the Bite campaign distributed public service announcements, posters, and brochures educating people about precautionary measures for avoiding mosquito bites. The Statesman article cites drier weather, better preparation and abatement, treatment of standing water, increased human immunity, and fewer birds carrying the virus as some of the factors contributing to the reduction in 2007.

Mosquito activity subsides with the first hard frost, so the 2007 mosquito season is nearly over.

West Nile Virus in Idaho - 2006 and 2007:

• 2007 cases mapped by county [Idaho Department of Health and Welfare]
• 2006 cases mapped by county [Idaho Department of Health and Welfare]

West Nile Virus in the U.S. - 2006 and 2007:

• 2007 cases and fatalities, by state [CDC]
• 2006 cases and fatalities, by state [CDC]
  

Welcome to P.H.A.T. Idaho!

We’re excited to be starting this blog on behalf of public health efforts in the state of Idaho. As students of public health, we’ve seen a need for a centralized place to discuss and promote public health in Idaho. So much of the information we receive on a daily basis is about national and international public health efforts. Finding up-to-date information about what’s going on in Idaho is a little harder. It’s our hope that this blog will not only help to build a clearer picture of the public health happenings in Idaho, but will foster a discussion of how national and international topics of interest affect us locally.

The best part about creating this “clearinghouse” of information in blog format is that you can be a contributor, too. Take time to comment on our posts and build on the ideas presented here. Tell your friends about P.H.A.T. Idaho. And email us at phatidaho@gmail.com with ideas for future posts, upcoming events, or new publications that you think are of interest to Idahoans tracking the public health scene.

Thanks,
Carrie & Kate