Stay Alert! West Nile Virus Makes Its First Victims in the USWith the return of summer, the risk of getting infected with West Nile virus is higher than in any other season of the year.
There were already confirmed eight human cases in five states, namely in Arizona, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention informed. Also, there have been reported animal cases in nine states, including Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, South Carolina, Texas and Utah.
West Nile virus was first spotted in New York in 1999 and has since spread westward, ultimately appearing in every state. Last year, the U.S. confronted with no less than 2,630 human cases. The number of West Nile infections is low this year, but the season benefiting infection with the virus is only at the beginning. Also, mosquito population, which is responsible for West Nile Virus spreading, is on the rise.
Therefore, people should be more involved in the fight against mosquitoes helping authorities to spot places benefiting mosquitoes’ growth. These places include abandoned houses or pools. Also, they should report any dead corvid, birds such as crows, magpies, ravens, jays and raptors. These birds usually die after being infected with West Nile Virus. That’s why they can be warning signs that mosquitoes in the area could be carrying the virus. Horses can also be carriersof the virus.
