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SPORTS PHYSICALS DATES FOR NESPELEM

The Colville Indian Health Center will be giving school sports physicals on August 2, 4, and 16. All students under 18 years of age MUST have a parent or legal guardian accompany them to their appointments. Appointments can be made by calling 634-2913. It will save everyone time if the students’ immunization records are brought with the students.

We want to encourage all students to also have a dental exam, as well as an eye exam this summer. Our optometrist, Dr. Don Sanford, is in Nespelem three days a week. Dental exams can be scheduled either at Omak or Nespelem. For any questions call Debbie at 634-2913.

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Inchelium Tribal Child Care Center

The Child Care Center offers:
* Activities for the children to enhance their physical, social, and developmental skills
* USDA meals and snacks.
* A healthy and safe facility set up to accommodate little ones.
* Staff who are genuinely devoted to working with children.

For more information contact the Center staff at (509) 722-7604, or Luana Gendron, Center Director at the Child Care & Development Program.

Phone: (509) 634-2744, FAX: (509) 634-2734
E-mail: luana.gendron@colvilletribes.com

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Colville Confederated Tribes
Environmental Health Department and Risk Management
Don’t Panic! Don’t Panic!
West Nile Virus (WNV)

West Nile Virus: What You Need to Know

What is West Nile Virus?
West Nile Virus (WNV) is a potentially serious illness. Experts believe WVN is established as a seasonal epidemic in North America that flares up in the summer and continues into the fall. This fact sheet contains important information that can help you recognize and prevent West Nile Virus.

What are the Symptoms of WNV?
WNV affects the central nervous system. Symptoms vary.
• No symptoms in Most People. Approximately 80 percent of people who are infected with WNV will not show any symptoms at all.
• Mild Symptoms in Some People. Up to 20 percent of the people who become infected will display mild symptoms, including fever, headache, and body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Symptoms typically last a few days.
• Serious Symptoms in a Few People. About one in 150 people infected with WNV will develop severe illness. The severe symptoms can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. These symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent.

How Does It Spread?
• Infected Mosquitoes. Generally, WNV is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito.
Mosquitoes are WNV carriers that become infected when they fed on infected birds. Infected mosquitoes can then spread WNV to humans and other animals when they bite.
• Transfusions, Transplants, and Mother-to-Child. In a very small number of cases, WNV also has spread through blood transfusions, organ transplants, breast-feeding and even during pregnancy from mother to baby.
• Not through touching. WNV is not spread through casual contact such as touching or kissing a person with the virus.

How Soon Do Infected People Get Sick?
People typically develop symptoms between 3 and 14 days after they are bitten by the infected mosquito.

How is WNV infection Treated?
There is no specific treatment for WNV infection. In cases with mild symptoms, people experience symptoms such as fever and aches that pass on their own. In more severe cases, people usually need to go to the hospital where they can receive supportive treatment including intravenous fluids, help with breathing and nursing care.

What Should I do If I Think I have WNV?
Mild WNV illness improves on its own, and people do not necessarily need to seek medical attention for this infection. If you develop symptoms of severe WNV illness, such as unusually severe headaches or confusion, seek medical attention immediately. Severe WNV illness usually requires hospitalization. Pregnant women and nursing mothers are encouraged to talk to their doctor if they develop symptoms that could be WNV.

What Is the Risk of Catching WNV?
For most, risk is low. Less than 1 percent of people who are bitten by mosquitoes develop any symptoms of the disease and relatively few mosquitoes actually carry WNV.
Greater risk for those outdoors a lot. People who spend a lot of time outdoors are more likely to be bitten by an infected mosquito. They should take special care to avoid mosquito bites.
People over 50 can get sicker. People over the age of 50 are more likely to develop serious symptoms of WNV if they do get sick and should take special care to avoid mosquito bites.
Risk through medical procedures is low. The risk of getting WNV through blood transfusions and organ transplants is very small, and should not prevent people who need surgery from having it. If you have concerns, talk to your doctor before surgery.
Pregnancy and nursing do not increase risk of becoming infected with WNV.

What Can I Do to Prevent WNV?
The easiest and best way to avoid WNV is to prevent mosquito bites.

Fight the Bite!
Avoid Mosquito Bites to Avoid Infection
Human illness from West Nile Virus is rare, even in areas where the virus has been reported. The chance that any one person is going to become ill from a mosquito bite is low.

Three Ways to Reduce your West Nile Virus Risk
1. Avoid Mosquito Bites
2. Mosquito-Proof Your Home
3. Help Your community

Avoid Mosquito Bites!
Apply Insect Repellent Containing DEET (look for: N, N-diethyl-meta0toulamide) to exposed skin when you go outdoors. Even a short time sitting outdoors can be long enough to get a mosquito bite. For details on when and how to apply repellent, see CDC’s Insect Repellent Use and Safety Page: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dybid/westnile/ga/insectrepellent.htm.
Clothing Can Help Reduce Mosquito Bites. When possible, wear long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors. Mosquitoes may bite through this clothing, so spraying clothes with repellent containing permethrin or DEET will give extra protection. Don’t apply repellents containing permethrin directly to the skin. Do not spray repellent containing DEET on the skin under your clothing.
Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours. The hours from dusk to dawn are peak mosquito biting times. Consider avoiding outdoor activities during these times—or take extra care to use repellent and protective clothing during evening and early morning.

Mosquito-Proof Your Home
Drain Standing Water: Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by getting rid of items that hold water. Need examples? Learn more on the Prevention of West Nile Virus questions and answer page: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/ga/prevention.htm
Install or Repair Screens. Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having well-fitting screens on both windows and doors. Offer to help neighbors whose screens might be in bad shape.

Help Your Community
Clean Up. Mosquito breeding sites can be everywhere. Neighborhood cleanup days can be organized by civic or youth organizations to pick up containers from vacant lots, parks, and to encourage people to keep their yards free of standing water. Mosquitoes don’t care about fences, so breeding sites anywhere in the neighborhood are important.

Report Dead Birds to Local Authorities
Dead birds may be a sign that West Nile Virus is circulating between birds and the mosquitoes in an area. Over 110 species of birds are known to have been infected with West Nile virus, though not all infected birds will die.

By reporting dead birds to state and local health departments, the public plays an important role in monitoring West Nile virus. Because State and local agencies have different policies for collecting and testing birds check the Links to State and Local Government Sites page to find information about reporting dead birds in your area: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/;dvbid/westnile/g/wnvbirds.htm.

Mosquito Control Programs. Check with local health authorities to see if there is an organized mosquito control program in your area. If no program exists, work with your local government officials to establish a program. The American Mosquito Control Association (www.mosquito.org) can provide advice, and their book Organization for Mosquito Control is a useful reference. More questions about mosquito control?

A source for information about pesticides and repellents is the National Pesticide Information Center: http://npic.orst.edu/, which also operates a toll-free information line: 1-800-858-7378 (check their Web site for hours).

Find out more about local prevention efforts. Find state and Local West Nile virus information and contacts on the Links to State and Local Government Sites page.
Remember:
1. Avoid Mosquitoes;
2. Mosquito-Proof your Home;
3. Help your community;
4. Report Dead Birds to
Local Authorities;
5. Check into a Mosquito
Control Program
6. Emergency: Call
509-634-2437/2416
Colville Confederated Tribes
Environmental health Department and Risk Management
Phone (509) 634-2416 or 2437 – FAX 509-634-2419

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