West Nile virus contributed to the death in September of an 86-year-old man in Shelby County according to the county’s health department.
The virus is primarily transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. Health officials throughout the state urge residents to eliminate standing water where mosquitoes breed and apply EPA-registered repellent and reduce time outside from dusk to dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
About 80 percent of people infected with West Nile virus don’t exhibit symptoms, but 1 in 5 will experience symptoms including fever, aches and nausea.
