The Southern Nevada Health District is reporting two new cases of West Nile virus in Clark County residents. Both have the more serious, neuroinvasive form of the illness. One individual is a female over the age of 50, and the other is a male under the age of 50. These new cases bring the year’s total to eight. Six of the eight West Nile cases reported to the Health District had neuroinvasive illness.
UPDATE: 6th person diagnosed with West Nile virus in Southern Nevada
Most people infected with West Nile virus do not develop symptoms. About one in five people who are infected develop a fever and symptoms that can include headache, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash. People with mild illness typically recover completely but may experience fatigue and weakness that can last for a few weeks or months. Some people who are infected, about one in 150, develop more severe illness that can cause encephalitis or meningitis. Symptoms of severe illness can include high fever, headache, stiff neck, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness, paralysis, and coma. Those more at risk include people over the age of 60, people with certain medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and people who have received organ transplants.
The Health District’s Mosquito Surveillance Program is also reporting 30 additional West Nile virus-positive mosquito submissions in 15 ZIP codes. West Nile virus was detected for the first time in eight of these ZIP codes. St. Louis Encephalitis virus-positive mosquitoes continue to be detected in ZIP codes in Clark County.
