At Least 18 Miami-Dade County Residents Have Contracted West Nile Virus, Health Officials Say
West Nile is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the U.S., but only about 1 in 150 infected people develop serious illness
Miami-Dade County health officials have reported four new cases of West Nile virus, bringing the county's total to 18 cases so far this year.
According to the Miami Herald, the Florida Department of Health confirmed on Friday that four residents contracted the West Nile virus through local transmission.
The first two cases of West Nile virus in Miami-Dade were confirmed by the Florida Department of Health on May 9. Officials confirmed two more cases on June 10, followed by ten more cases on June 25.
The county is now under a mosquito-borne-illness alert.
William Petrie, the county's mosquito-control chief, said last week, per the Miami Herald, that the resurgence of West Nile likely reflects the heavy rains that cause mosquito populations to explode.
West Nile is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the United States. There are currently no vaccines to prevent it or medications to treat it.
According to the CDC, 80 percent of those infected with the virus have no noticeable symptoms. About 1 out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness.
The most effective way to reduce risk of contracting West Nile is to use insect repellent and wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants to prevent mosquito bites, the CDC says.
Florida is also in the midst of experiencing a surge of COVID-19 cases. On Saturday, the state reported 11,458 new cases of the respiratory illness — a new single-day record.
In total, the state now has over 200,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, while at least 3,730 people in the state have died, according to the New York Times.
Despite the surge, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has said that the state will not reel in its efforts to reopen the economy.
We're not going back, closing things,” he said last Wednesday. “I don't think that that's really what's driving it. People going to a business is not what's driving it. I think when you see the younger folks — I think a lot of it is more just social interactions, so that's natural.”
RELATED: Los Angeles Closes Beaches for July 4 Weekend, Reports Highest Single-Day New Coronavirus Cases
Despite his comments, many counties in Florida have decided to reverse course on reopenings, including Miami-Dade, where the beaches were closed for the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Other states, including California, Arizona and Texas, have also become hotspots for new coronavirus cases.
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