PITTSFIELD, Mass. — An elderly woman is hospitalized after contracting West Nile Virus - the first confirmed case in the county.
The state Department of Public Health announced on Friday that the woman in her 70s will be released from the hospital soon but the finding raising the risk level for the city from moderate to high. The risk levels in Dalton, Hancock, Lanesborough, Lenox, Richmond and Washington have been raised to moderate.
The virus as well as Equine Encephalitis were both confirmed in mosquitos throughout the county. The city has been adulticide spraying to reduce the population. In the eastern part of the state the threat of EEE is considered "critical."
The best way to avoid contracting the viruses to avoid or eliminate mosquitos. Basic tips include:
• Take precautions, especially, during the peak biting times of dusk and dawn by wearing long-sleeves, pants and socks when outdoors; apply repellent.
• Drain or get rid of items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools, and change water in birdbaths frequently. Use larvicide where appropriate.
• Make sure screens are tight fitting on doors and windows.
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Remembering the 'Forgotten War' in Pittsfield
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
The bell is rung as the name of each local casualty of the war is read.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A small group gathered at City Hall's "Forgotten War" monument on Saturday to honor those who had served.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 448 held its annual ceremony at the Korean War Monument to mark the 73rd anniversary of the armistice that saw the fighting end in Korea. The 2002 monument names 20 Pittsfield residents who were killed in action.
"Today, on behalf of the brave men to which their names appear on this monument, and to 36,516 that lost their lives in the Korean conflict, and the 1,243 that lost their lives thereafter, often referred to as the Second Forgotten War, or the DMZ Wars, and to many others that have served their countries without recognition, and to those still serving, we wish to honor them all in appreciation of their sacrifice and contributions towards the preservation of our freedoms and values of the United States of America and its allies," said post Cmdr. Arnie Perras, saying there are still many people unaware of what happened in that overseas war.
The Korean War began on June 25, 1950, when North Korea invaded South Korea after border conflicts and insurrections in the south. Hostile action ended unofficially on July 27, 1953, in a truce. During the war, more than 23,000 American troops were killed in action, and 100,000 were injured. South Korea lost more than 200,000 soldiers, more than 13,000 other allied troops were killed, and nearly 3 million civilian and military lives were lost on both sides.
A peace treaty was never signed and a demilitarized zone has separated the two nations since.
An armistice was signed, but Perras reminded attendees that this didn't end the war, relaying thousands of reported military engagements inside the Korean Demilitarized Zone between 1954 and 1999.
Perras outlined actions that occurred during the ceasefire, such as the DMZ Wars, especially active in the 1960s, when many U.S. and Korean soldiers were killed in ambushes, firefights, and minefields. In 2010, North Korea torpedoed a South Korean corvette submarine, killing 46 people.
Today, the United States has about 28,500 troops deployed in South Korea, mostly at the Army station at Camp Humphreys.
"Although it has been decades since major hostilities, U.S. troops remain as a deterrent to the nuclear-armed and often belligerent North Korea."
The monument — dedicated on Veterans Day in 2002 — honors the 20 servicemen who were killed during the war with a time capsule buried beneath, including dog tags, a small P38 military can opener, military patches, and a DVD from a one-hour fundraiser televised on Pittsfield Community Television.
A bell was sounded after each name was read aloud.
Perras is the last living member of the Korean War Monument Committee and closed the event with a wish for new members to continue the veteran organizations' charge.
"I'm the last man standing, and I can barely do that. We really need our younger veterans to help us out by joining soon to carry our torch forward. As a huge incentive, the VFW Post 448 is still offering a five-year free membership to new members. Otherwise, you'll no longer be seeing these type of ceremonies, unfortunately," he said.
Mayor Peter MArchetti along with City Councilor Pete White were also in attendance to honor the fallen.
"I think it's important to be here today. We remember the brave men and women who served in the war, and every service member that sacrificed their life for this It's our job to make sure that they're not forgotten and that they're honored for defending our nation and protecting our freedoms, they went to war, protecting people that they never met and never knew. It's important for us to remember them, not just for that war, but for all wars," Marchetti said.
The names of Pittsfield residents who were killed in the war:
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