Friday, April 26, 2019 | 9:35 a.m.
The Southern Nevada Health District has reported its first human case of West Nile virus in Southern Nevada this year.
The individual, a female over the age of 50, had the more serious neuroinvasive form of the illness and has recovered, officials said. There were no reported human cases of West Nile virus in Clark County last year.
West Nile virus is spread through the bites of infected mosquitoes that have acquired the virus by feeding on infected birds and is not spread person to person.
Many people with the virus will have no symptoms or very mild symptoms, including fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash. In some cases, the virus can cause severe neurologic illness and even death.
“West Nile virus is a preventable illness, and it is important to remind everyone to take steps to prevent mosquito bites, especially as we start to spend more time outside,” Dr. Joe Iser, chief health officer for the district, said in a statement.
The district recommends using insect repellant, wearing pants and long-sleeved shirts when outdoors and eliminating standing water where mosquitoes breed.
The district traps mosquitoes and tests them for disease. So far, no infected mosquitoes have been found this season.
