Another Potentially Deadly Virus May Be Coming to Iowa

There are a lot of bugs around Eastern Iowa this summer. Largely because of all the rain we've had, mosquitos are chief among those pesky visitors who love to disrupt our outdoor fun.

We all know mosquitos can carry terrible diseases like West Nile Virus. While the chances of getting a nasty virus from a mosquito are very slim, you should still be aware of the threat and prepared to see a doctor if you show symptoms of something potentially dangerous.

CDC Warning of Another Threat

The CDC warns Americans about the threat of dengue, which is spread by mosquitos. Much like the earlier mentioned West Nile, or anything else spread my mosquitos, the chance of getting dengue is very slim, but dengue can be deadly.

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The most common symptom is running a fever, but the CDC warns you should also be aware of other symptoms:

• Aches and pains (eye pain generally felt behind the eyes, muscle, joint, or bone pain)
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Rash

The CDC says only 1 in 20 people who get sick with dengue are going to develop severe dengue, but you should still see a physician if you're concerned.

Iowa Cases Are Very Low

According to Iowa Healthy and Human Services, there have been only three reported cases in Iowa in 2024. The Iowa HHS said in 2023, Iowa had six reported cases.

Despite the numbers being low, it's still important to be aware of the potential viruses and illnesses mosquitos carry with them. After all, mosquitos are the deadliest creatures on earth to humans. Who wants to be another victim?

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