West Nile virus cases reported in NJ

Subway

By Matthew Sedacca

July 29, 2023 | 8:32

New Jersey’s first case of West Nile virus this year has been found in a Winslow Township resident, local officials said.

The case was reported on 17 July Camden County Health Department said.

No cases have been detected in humans in the Big Apple so far, but as of Friday, the city’s health department discovered the virus in 181 mosquito pools across the city, the vast majority on Staten Island.

“The human West Nile virus cases detected in New Jersey signal that we may soon see (West Nile virus) activity in New York City because of the geographic proximity,” said Jean Lim, a microbiologist at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the United States, with cases occurring during the summer and fall, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Only one in five people infected with the virus develop symptoms, while one in 150 develops severe disease. Symptoms include fever, headache, altered mental status and other neurological dysfunctions.

Last year, New Jersey reported 20 cases of human West Nile Virus, four of which proved fatal. New York City registered 36 casestwo fatalities as well as 10 cases of West Nile fever, according to the city’s health department.