3rd Case of West Nile Virus Confirmed in Mass.

On Tuesday, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed the third human case of West Nile virus in the Bay State this year.

On Tuesday, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed the third human case of West Nile virus in the Bay State this year.

The DPH says the victim was never hospitalized. They say she is a female in her 20s and a resident of Middlesex County, and that there is no risk level change associated with this finding.

"People need to continue to use insect repellent, cover up exposed skin, and reduce outdoors during those times when mosquitoes are at their most active. The risk of mosquito-borne illness will continue until the first hard frost," said DPH State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Catherine Brown.

While WNV can infect people of all ages, people over the age of 50 are at higher risk. WNV symptoms tend to include fever and flu-like illness. 

In 2013, there were eight human cases of WNV infection identified in Massachusetts.

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