MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The first human case of West Nile virus in Tennessee for 2024 was detected to be a Shelby County resident, according to the Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) and the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH).
No additional information on the resident was given, including which part of Shelby County they are from or their health status.
According to the CDC, the West Nile Virus (WNV), is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental U.S. However, most people infected do not feel sick and the virus can go undetected. Of those who do feel sick, about 1 in 5 develop a fever or other symptoms like a headache or body aches, and about 1 in 150 developed a serious illness which can sometimes be lethal.
People who are over 60 years old or have a disease like cancer or diabetes are at greater risk to develop a severe illness.
Because of the risk, the Shelby County Health Department recommends everyone to protect themselves by wearing protective clothes (long sleeves and pants that are loose and light colored), staying indoors when mosquitos are most active during dusk and dawn and using mosquito repellents that contain DEET.
In a press release, the SCHD writes:
- DEFEND yourself by using insect repellent with DEET. Follow label instructions.
- DRESS in long sleeves and pants. Wear loose and light-colored clothing when outdoors.
- DUSK/DAWN is the time when mosquitoes are most active. Stay indoors.
- DRAIN standing water where mosquitos breed and install or repair window screens.
Additionally, the SCHD routinely runs "truck-mounted spraying" to control the population of adult mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus. According to the SCHD, every zip code area of the county is sprayed at least twice during the mosquito season on a rotating basis, but zip codes where the virus has been detected are given priority.
