Travel-related West Nile virus case confirmed for a Shelby Co. resident

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - A travel-related West Nile virus case has been detected in a Shelby County resident.

The Shelby County Health Department and Tennessee Department of Health confirmed the case Friday.

West Nile is transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes.

According to the health department, the patient who contracted the disease traveled to another region where mosquitoes that often carry West Nile are native. Their symptoms reportedly began before returning to the United States.

The patient’s current condition is unknown.

Experts say West Nile virus can cause serious illness and lead to hospitalization or death, though most cases cause no symptoms and go undetected.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people over age 60 are most susceptible to severe cases.

As the weather warms up, the Shelby County Health Department recommends that residents protect themselves from mosquito bites by wearing protective clothing, staying indoors during dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active, and using mosquito repellents that contain deet.

For more information about the county’s Mosquito Control Program, visit the Shelby County Health Department’s website.

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