State reports 3rd West Nile virus case in human
Published 9:26 pm Tuesday, July 18, 2017
JACKSON (AP) — Mississippi health officials report the third human case of West Nile virus this year. The Mississippi State Department of Health says the reported case is in Forrest County, where the state’s first confirmed case was located. The other case was in Rankin County.
The department only reports laboratory-confirmed cases. In 2016, Mississippi had 43 West Nile virus cases and two deaths.
State officials said that people throughout Mississippi are at risk of the disease and should protect themselves against mosquito bites by using mosquito repellant that contains DEET and removing standing water sources to prevent breeding.
Most infected people never show any symptoms. Some develop a flu-like disease. A few come down with encephalitis or meningitis, which can lead to paralysis, coma and even death.