Probable West Nile case found in Ulster County

Photo of Aedes aegypti mosquito in action by James Gathany. Published under Creative Commons license.

First measles, now West Nile? Ulster County seems to be a hotbed of rare diseases lately.

The Ulster County Health Department announced today that a probable case of West Nile virus has been identified in the county. The Freeman reports:

The case, which is under investigation by the state Department of Health and the Ulster County Department of Health, involves an individual who had recently traveled out of state, so it’s uncertain exactly where the infection may have been acquired, authorities said.

West Nile virus is most often spread by infected mosquitoes. It can be deadly. According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 80 percent of people infected with West Nile show no symptoms, up to 20 percent become mildly ill, and about 1 in 150 will develop serious illness. The virus is more likely to cause serious complications in people over 50.

As of September 25, 3,545 cases of West Nile virus had been reported to the CDC in 2012, causing 147 deaths. The mortality rate among people who contract West Nile virus is much lower than the CDC data would indicate: Most cases of West Nile virus do not cause symptoms, and are not reported.