Year's third case of West Nile virus reported in Delaware
DOVER — An 87-year-old Kent County woman has been infected with West Nile virus — the state’s third case of the illness in a human this year, according to the Delaware Division of Public Health.
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Year's third case of West Nile virus reported in Delaware
By Tim MastroDOVER — An 87-year-old Kent County woman has been infected with West Nile virus — the state’s third case of the illness in a human this year, according to the Delaware Division of Public Health.
DPH said the woman indicated no travel history that could have led to transmission, which means she contracted the virus in Delaware. To protect the patient’s privacy, the division said no additional information will be provided on the individual at this time.
It is the second confirmed case in Kent County in 2021.
A 69-year-old Kent County man in early September was the state’s first confirmed human case of WNV since 2018. A 79-year-old Sussex County woman was also infected with the virus in early October.
In 2018, 10 human WNV cases were reported to DPH. Two of them resulted in deaths. There have been no deaths due to the virus this year.
The illness is transmitted by mosquitoes, generally in summer and fall, with a peak period for disease transmission from mid-August to mid-October, according to DPH.
Mosquitoes that cause WNV bite primarily from dusk to dawn. DPH said it is important to wear insect repellent outdoors to protect oneself from WNV and other diseases such as chikungunya, dengue fever and Zika. These bites also can occur during the day.
In addition to the three human WNV cases, there has been one confirmed case of the illness in a Kent County horse this year, announced by the Office of the State Veterinarian in early October.
WNV was also found in sentinel chickens in July for the first time this year, according to the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Mosquito Control Section.
The office reminded Delawareans that the possibility of contracting mosquito-transmitted diseases, including WNV and Eastern Equine Encephalitis, will continue until colder weather sets in. DNREC said that, this year, that could be as late as mid-November.
DNREC added that its Mosquito Control Section typically increases its surveillance efforts until that time in the vicinity of the virus findings and then, depending on types and numbers of mosquitoes encountered, takes appropriate control measures.
To report suspected cases of human WNV, call the Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at 888-295-5156.
