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The patient lives in Ramapo, is over the age of 50 years, and tested positive for the illness, said County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert.
"This human case of West Nile virus reinforces the urgency of the need for people to protect themselves against mosquito bites and to continue to check their property and get rid of standing water around their properties where mosquitoes breed," said Ruppert.
Most mosquitoes do not test positive for disease-causing viruses. However, a bite from a West Nile virus-infected mosquito can cause serious illness, and in some cases, death, she said.
Although a person's chances of getting sick are small, those aged 50 and older are at the highest risk for serious illness.
Not everyone infected with the West Nile virus will become ill, Ruppert said. However, West Nile can cause serious complications, including neurological diseases, and can also cause a milder flu-like illness, including fever, headache and body aches, nausea, and occasionally a skin rash and swollen lymph glands.
Health officials say the best way to avoid the virus is to cover up as completely as possible when outside for long periods and to use mosquito repellent.
The best way to keep mosquitoes out of your yard is to avoid standing water in birdbaths, unused flowerpots, discarded tires, and even bottle caps, as well as in small ponds or other bodies of stagnant water.
To learn more about reducing mosquito breeding on your property, call the Health Department at 845-364-3173 or visit http://bit.ly/2aXY0E4. To learn more about the West Nile virus, visit https://on.ny.gov/2q9KsNb.
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