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The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) has confirmed a fatal case of Powassan (POW) virus infection in a Waldo County, Maine resident who developed neurologic symptoms and died while being treated in the hospital.
According to the Maine CDC, the person - whose name has not been released and was described only as being an adult - likely became infected in Maine.
They said humans can become infected with the virus through the bite of an infected deer or woodchuck tick.
Health officials said that cases of the POW virus are rare in the US, with approximately 25 cases reported each year since 2015. In Maine, 14 cases have been identified in the past 12 years.
Symptoms of the virus start one week to one month after one is bitten by a tick, officials said. People who get sick may suffer from a fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, seizures, or memory loss.
Others may experience serious neurologic problems, such as brain or spinal cord inflammation.
"Ticks are active and looking for a host to bite right now,” Maine CDC Director Nirav D. Shah said in a statement. “I urge Maine people and visitors to take steps that prevent tick bites.”
According to the CDC, "the best protection against all tick-borne diseases is to prevent tick bites,” and these strategies can be used to avoid being bitten:
- Know what tick habitat is -- wooded and bushy areas with tall grass -- and use caution in areas where ticks may live;
- Avoid these areas and stay in the middle of trails whenever possible;
- Use an EPA-approved repellent on skin. Use Permethrin on clothing for added protection;
- Perform tick checks every day, and especially after leaving tick habitat and after returning home. Bathe or shower after coming inside to wash crawling ticks off your body. Also examine clothing, gear, and pets;
- Ask a veterinarian about tick bite prevention for cats and dogs.
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