JACKSON, Miss.- The Mississippi State Department of Health has confirmed a new case of West Nile virus and two new cases of travel-related Zika Virus.
The recent diagnoses bring the total for West Nile this year to 22 and for Zika to 23.
WNV has effected individuals in Calhoun, Chickasaw, Copiah (2), Hinds (6), Grenada, Lamar (2), Lee, Leflore, Lincoln, Lowndes, Marion (2), Perry and Rankin (2) counties.
Last year the total of WNV infections was 38, with one death for the year.
Two new cases of Zika Virus were also reported. Two individuals from Prentiss County who recently traveled to the island of Grenada in the West Indies have been confirmed.
Both viruses often show no symptoms. Zika Virus is mosquito-borne that causes severe birth defects if a mother is infected during pregnancy. Symptoms include fever, joint pain, conjunctivitis, or rash. It could last for several days, however 80 percent of people show no symptoms at all.
WNV infections are often mild as well with fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, a rash, muscle weakness or swollen lymph nodes. If left untreated it can result in encephalitis, meningitis, lead to paralysis, a coma and possibly death.
For more information on mosquito-borne illnesses visit HealthyMS.com/westnile and HealthyMS.com/zika.
