First Kansas case of West Nile reported
The first confirmed case of West Nile virus for 2017 appeared in Barton County earlier this week, according to the state.
Most people infected with West Nile don’t experience any symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For about 20 percent of people infected, West Nile can cause a fever, headache, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash. Fatigue can last weeks or months after recovery.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has found mosquitoes that tested positive for West Nile virus through monitoring in Reno, Shawnee and Johnson counties. Two birds in Shawnee County also tested positive for West Nile.
A total of 57 cases of West Nile virus were reported to the state of Kansas in 2016. The number of human cases was 34 in 2015, 54 in 2014 and 92 in 2013.
KDHE recommends mosquito-proofing your home by keeping screens on windows and draining standing water.
Wearing mosquito repellent outdoors and covering skin with long sleeves and pants from dusk to dawn also helps avoid mosquito bites.
Katherine Burgess: 316-268-6400, @KathsBurgess
This story was originally published June 9, 2017 at 2:59 PM with the headline "First Kansas case of West Nile reported."