WEST NILE

According to the county’s website, one in ve people develop a fever, body aches, a headache, skin rashes and/or swollen lymph nodes.

Less than 1% of people will develop severe symptoms that a ect the nervous system. ese may include a high fever, tremors, neck sti ness, muscle weakness, confusion and disorientation, a coma, paralysis and potentially death.

“ e risk is extremely small, but to some people, it could be extremely dangerous,” Fiene said.

If a person thinks they may have the virus, Fiene said they should seek medical care. ere are no speci c treatments for the illness and no vaccines, but medical support can help relieve symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Prevention

Experts say the best way to protect oneself from the virus is to prevent situations that could lead to bites.

“(Residents) need to protect themselves, especially at the times of dawn and dusk” Fiene said. “If you have to go outside at that time, making sure you wear long clothing, long pants, long sleeve shirts. And, again, wearing DEET-containing insect repellent.”

Dylan Garrison, environmental health manager at Arapahoe County Public Health, added that it can also be bene cial to eliminate spaces where mosquitoes would like to breed. Some of these areas could include standing water in areas like puddles, gutters, owerpots, tires, tion sits entirely on city-owned property, so Mile High Flood District approached the city to undertake the improvements as a joint project, according to the report. e agreement would split the cost of the design for the project equally between the two parties. e anticipated cost of the design for the project is $100,000 with the city and Mile High Flood District sharing the cost equally — $50,000 each.

“ is is a signi cant nancial incentive for the city, especially as the project moves forward,” the sta report says.

“If the nal cost of the design comes back higher, MHFD will cover the di erence as they view this project as a high priority,” the report says.

While the title of the agreement covers the entire project, the current version presented for the council meeting covers just the design, according to the sta report.

“As the project moves forward, amended (intergovernmental agreements) will be presented to council regarding the other phases and funding of the project,” the report says.