Wisconsin Department of Health confirms first case of West Nile Virus
By WISN Staff
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SHEBOYGAN COUNTY, Wisconsin (WISN) — The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported the first human case this year of West Nile virus in a Sheboygan County resident.
Cases of West Nile virus have also been reported in three animals in Wisconsin, two horses and a bird. These animal cases were located in Trempealeau, Monroe, and Milwaukee counties.
The Department of Health is reminding people to protect themselves from mosquito bites. Despite cooler temperatures, mosquito activity and the risk of West Nile virus will continue until the first hard frost (temperatures below 28 degrees for at least four consecutive hours).
“This report of the first case of West Nile Virus in a person is a reminder of the continued importance of taking precautions to prevent mosquito bites and the viruses they carry as we move into the fall,” said State Health Officer Paula Tran. “While West Nile virus and other viruses spread by mosquitoes pose a risk to all Wisconsinites, people who have weakened immune systems are at the greatest risk for serious illness.”
West Nile Virus is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. The virus is not spread directly from person to person, animal to animal, or animal to person.
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