For Immediate Release: September 21, 2023 Contact: Steve Kelso PH:616-202-8376 EM:steve.kelso@kentcountymi.gov
West Nile Virus Confirmed in Human Case
(GRAND RAPIDS - September 21, 2023) -The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) is tracking a human case of West Nile Virus in a Kent County Resident. The patient has a limited travel history so it is likely they contracted the virus after being bit by a mosquito in the 49507 zip code. The patient is currently hospitalized. No other patient details will be released.
With weather forecasters predicting unseasonably warm temperatures this weekend, people will likely be spending more time outdoors. “People need to know that mosquitoes are still quite active this time of year,” says Adam London, Administrative Health Officer at KCHD. “It continues to be important that people take measures to protect themselves from being bitten.”
The best treatment for West Nile Virus is prevention. The KCHD recommends wearing a mosquito repellant that contains 10 - 35% DEET, wearing light colored clothing, and staying indoors during dusk. To learn more about the choices and usage of insect repellants, click here. You can help stop mosquitoes from breeding by removing any standing water in your yard and keeping your lawn and shrubs cut.
West Nile Virus is the most common mosquito borne illness in the United States. Most people who become infected with West Nile Virus will never know it but about 20% of those infected may develop a fever or other symptoms. In rare cases West Nile Virus can become a serious and sometimes fatal illness. For more information about West Nile Virus, click here.
