This year’s first case of West Nile Virus confirmed in Rock County

ROCK COUNTY, Wis. — This year’s first confirmed human case of West Nile Virus in a Rock County resident was reported Tuesday, according to a report from the Rock County Public Health Department.

State and local health officials are advising residents to continue to protect themselves against mosquito bites, but remind the public that the chances of a person contracting the virus are low, and most people infected with it will not have symptoms.

People who do become ill after contracting the virus may develop a fever, headache and rash that lasts a few days. Symptoms may begin between three to 15 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito, according to the report.

In rare cases, West Nile Virus can cause severe disease with symptoms including muscle weakness, stiff neck, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, paralysis and coma. Older adults and people with compromised immune systems are at an increased risk of severe disease from the virus, according to the report.

West Nile Virus is spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito, and is not transmitted from person to person, according to the report.

COPYRIGHT 2023 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.