No one is sounding the alarm: It’s been an average year so far for West Nile cases in mosquitoes. But wet, warm conditions might mean trouble ahead.
4 years ago
In this Aug. 16, 2012 file photo, mosquitos are sorted at the Dallas County mosquito lab in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)
Health officials in Delaware have announced the state’s first case of the West Nile virus since 2018.
The Division of Public Health said in a news release on Friday that a 69-year-old Kent County man was infected.
An investigation is underway to confirm any travel history or sources that could have led to the transmission. The health department is not releasing the man’s name or other information to protect his privacy.
West Nile can be very serious and even deadly, particularly in vulnerable populations, state health officials said. Ten human West Nile cases were reported in Delaware in 2018. Those cases included two deaths.
The virus is a mosquito-borne illness. It’s generally transmitted in summer and fall. The peak period is from mid-August to mid-October.
Health officials say that people should wear insect repellent when going outdoors.