Bourbon Virus - Health authorities are investigating a new virus which has been linked to the death of a southeast Kansas man in June.
Reports indicate that the never-before-identified virus, which is suspected to be carried by ticks and other insects, has been named the Bourbon virus, after the home of its first victim - a resident of Bourbon County.
On Tuesday, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment made the revelation. The Bourbon County native died from a virus that had not been identified before. However, it still unclear how much role the new virus caused the victim's death.
"Bourbon virus has likely been around for some time, but only recently did we have the diagnostic technique to isolate and identify such viruses," said Dr Dana Hawkinson, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Kansas Hospital.
"It's genome is similar to viruses that have been found in Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia, but no virus like that has ever been identified in the Western Hemisphere," Hawkinson said.
Since the Bourbon virus is still new and research underway, there are no treatments of vaccines for it. However, health officials say the chances of it spreading is minimal because it the winter season. Preliminary studies have reportedly shown that the Bourbon virus can be spread through ticks and incent bites.
Health authorities have urged people to adopt precautionary measures while outdoor to protect themselves against the Bourbon virus and prevent other known insect-borne diseases.
These precautionary steps include wearing clothes that cover the arms and legs, using insect repellents and staying away from densely bushy areas, where insects might be.
Authorities have refused to disclose the identity of the victim or other details including how he caught the virus and how it lead to his untimely death. Officials say they are withholding the information to protect the privacy of the family and friends of the deceased.
