IONIA COUNTY, Mich. — Health officials in Ionia County have confirmed the first human case of West Nile virus of the season, bringing the total number of human cases in Michigan to at least seven.
The state's dashboard is typically updated every week, with new numbers expected Friday.
The only other human case of West Nile virus in the area was reported in Kent County, where the person died from the virus.
The Ionia County Health Department did not say how serious the patient's condition was in its release.
West Nile Virus is the top disease carried by mosquitoes, per the health department. Most people develop no symptoms; roughly one out of five people will experience flu-like symptoms; and one out of 150 become severely ill with impacts to the central nervous system, sometimes resulting in death.
There is no vaccine for West Nile Virus.
Experts recommend using insect repellent with at least 10 percent DEET, wearing long sleeves and pants, staying indoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active, and draining any bodies of standing water near your home.
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