JACKSON, Miss. — Another person has died of the West Nile Virus (WNV) here in Mississippi.
The State Department of Heath (MSDH) confirmed today that the death is in Bolivar County; and there are now four more confirmed reports of people getting that virus.
“We are definitely in the middle of our most active time of the year – July, August and September. So we know that we are gonna typically get more cases reported during these months,” said Dr. Paul Byers, MSDH Deputy State Epidemiologist.
Including the new cases, West Nile has now been confirmed in Forrest (3), Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Wayne, LeFlore, Bolivar, Hinds and Rankin counties. But Byers says the virus is active throughout the entire state at this point and everyone should try to protect themselves. “Make sure you wear an appropriate mosquito repellent when you go out doors, and certainly try to avoid (being outside during) those times of day when mosquitoes are most active,” he advises.
Symptoms of WNV infection are often mild and may include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, a rash, muscle weakness or swollen lymph nodes. In a small number of cases, infection can result in encephalitis or meningitis, which can lead to paralysis, coma and possibly death.
Last year 247 Mississippians got the virus and five died.
