West Nile virus ‘concerns’ health officials as infected mosquitoes reach record highs and cases spread to 8 states

This year, cases of West Nile virus are being discovered earlier than normal. This is a warning sign that more people may be diagnosed with this mosquito-borne disease.

According to experts, the first cases usually don’t appear until July, but by 2024, nine cases have already been recorded in the US.

Tennessee and Kansas both recorded their first cases in May — nearly two months ahead of schedule. Arkansas, Mississippi, Maryland, Michigan and Arizona have also recorded human cases, with Colorado the latest — with the first reported on Wednesday.

Mosquitoes carrying the disease are also being detected earlier than usual in places including Michigan and Connecticut, where the insects were at least a month ahead of schedule.

They are being found in record numbers in and around Las Vegas. This worries the authorities. They say the higher number of infected mosquitoes increases the risk of more people becoming infected.

No deaths have been reported so far.

Dr. Thomas Moore, an infectious disease expert in Kansas, told DailyMail.com that it was certainly “unusual” to see so many cases this time of year.

But he said it was difficult to determine whether this would lead to a larger outbreak in the US because – since the virus has been in the country since 1999 – many people already have immunity.

“The fact that there are so many cases so early in the year could be a sign of global warming, as mosquitoes are active earlier,” he said.

“This is something we can expect to see more of in the future, and not just with West Nile virus but also with dengue. That would indicate that the situation is getting worse.”

Yesterday, the CDC issued a health warning about an increase in dengue infections. According to them, the number of infections this year was already ‘higher than expected’.

In Las Vegas, officials normally find 6,000 mosquitoes in traps from April to June. But this year they have already found 24,000, or almost four times as many as normal.

Of the mosquito pools, or traps that caught the insects, 169 tested positive for West Nile virus — meaning at least one mosquito was infected — breaking the 2019 record.

Of the nine patients reported nationally to date, five are suffering from a severe and potentially fatal form of the disease.

Kansas health officials sounded the alarm about the emerging situation, saying, “While cases of West Nile virus occur in (our state) every year, the concerning trend this year is that they are appearing unusually early.

‘Normally the first cases of West Nile virus start in late July, early August, but this year (in May) we have already received two reports of cases.’

In Michigan, officials reiterated, “This discovery (of infected mosquitoes) is earlier than in previous years, indicating the need for increased vigilance and preventative measures.”

And in Las Vegas, officials said, “This year is unprecedented. We have had the highest number of mosquito pools testing positive early in the transmission season.

“It’s not until late June or mid to late June. This will last until October. So we’re concerned.’

Vivek Raman, environmental health supervisor for the Southern Nevada Health District, added, “These are huge numbers of mosquitoes and we have already identified a concerning number of them carrying West Nile virus.”

The number of cases of West Nile virus has been increasing in recent years. Last year, about 2,500 cases were recorded, more than double the 1,130 in 2022.

However, experts say these numbers are likely a huge undercount because most people who contract the virus are not tested for it.

There are approximately 150 deaths from the disease each year.

West Nile virus is endemic in the US, with the first cases occurring in 1999 – likely after it arrived from another part of the world where the virus was more common.

People get sick from the bites of infected Asian tiger mosquitoes. These mosquitoes are recognizable by their black and white striped spots and are infected by birds.

About one in five people shows symptoms, such as fever, headache and a blotchy rash on the trunk, head, neck, fingers and toes.

These complaints can last from several days to several weeks. Patients are treated with fluids, bed rest, and over-the-counter pain medications.

Of those with symptoms, less than one percent will develop a severe form of the disease — also called West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) — which can be fatal.

Here the virus infects the brain and causes encephalitis, or inflammation of the organ, leading to seizures, disorientation and coma.

About three to 15 percent of WNND patients die from the disease, with death sometimes caused by the virus infecting and shutting down cells needed to send impulses to instruct the body to breathe.

Young children, adults over 50 years of age, and people with weakened immune systems are at greatest risk of this serious form of the disease.

Experts say mosquitoes are active earlier this year due to warmer and wetter weather in many parts of the US.

They are expected to remain active until October, during which time people are at increased risk of infection.

And there are also concerns about other mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue.

To protect against West Nile virus, officials have advised people to wear insect repellent and long-sleeved tops and pants in the evenings and early mornings — when mosquitoes are most active.

Individuals have also been advised to remove any standing water near their homes, as this can be a place for mosquitoes to breed.