YORK COUNTY, Pa. – The first human case of West Nile Virus is recorded in York County. The victim, a female, contracted the virus on August 11th. She is the 8th confirmed case of West Nile Virus in humans in the state. One human case has also been reported in Cumberland County.
The West Nile Virus appeared for the first time in Pennsylvania in 2000. So far there is no vaccine or anti-viral treatment available for WNV.
West Nile virus is most commonly transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. You can reduce your risk of being infected with WNV by using insect repellent and wearing protective clothing to prevent mosquito bites. There are no medications to treat or vaccines to prevent WNV infection. Fortunately, most people infected with WNV will have no symptoms. About 1 in 5 people who are infected will develop a fever with other symptoms. Less than 1 percent of infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, neurologic illness.
