Rockland's first human case of West Nile Virus of 2018 confirmed
Christopher J. Eberhart
A Rockland resident over the age of 50 is the first confirmed human case of West Nile Virus in the county this year, the county health department said Friday.
The patient was hospitalized on Aug. 29 and released on Sept. 4, according to the health department.
The department said it couldn't say how old the patient is or where the resident lives because of privacy laws
"This human case of West Nile virus reinforces the urgency of the need for people to protect themselves against mosquito bites and to continue to check their property and get rid of standing water around their properties where mosquitoes breed," Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert said in a statement.
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As of Oct. 4, there have been 57 reported human case of West Nile in the state, including two in Westchester County.
Most people who are infected with WNV will not show any symptoms, according to the health department.
About 20 percent of the people who become infected will develop West Nile fever and have mild symptoms, including fever, headache and body aches, and occasionally a skin rash and swollen lymph glands.
Symptoms of severe infection can include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, muscle weakness, stupor, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, paralysis and coma. About one in 150 people infected with the virus will develop the more severe form of the disease, the health department said.
Usually, symptoms occur from 3 to 14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
Twitter: @ChrisEberhart2