West Nile Virus Kills One in Baltimore County: Reports

The first person in Maryland to die of West Nile virus in 2015 is from Baltimore County, according to reports.

So far this season, state health officials say 29 people have been infected with the mosquito-borne virus in Maryland, where insects have tested positive for West Nile in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.

The first human casualty of the virus this season in Maryland was an older adult who lived in Baltimore County, Fox 45 reported Tuesday.

The victim, who was not identified, died Sept. 8, according to the TV station, which said the state did no report where in the county the person lived.

Another Baltimore County resident who had West Nile virus died Aug. 24, but health officials attributed the cause of death to something other than the virus.

West Nile Virus Prevention

Each year, there are several cases of people infected with West Nile virus in Maryland. Six people were diagnosed with the virus in 2014, according to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

West Nile virus is transmitted by mosquitoes, and it affects the nervous system. There is no treatment.

People can prevent their risk of contracting the virus by covering themselves and reducing standing water.

Small amounts of water can serve as breeding grounds for dozens of mosquitoes, according to the Baltimore County Health Department.

“To reduce the risk of getting infected, I encourage residents to W.R.A.P. up,” Director of Baltimore County’s Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Gregory Wm. Brancch said, noting these methods of prevention:

• Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts and hats.
• Repair damaged window screens.
• Avoid unnecessary outdoor activities at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.
• Put on EPA-registered insect repellent per package directions.

Fewer than 1 percent of people infected with West Nile virus experience symptoms—most commonly headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash—according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It can be fatal, particularly for sensitive groups such as those over 60 years of age and people with compromised immune systems.

In addition to the person who died in September, a horse in southern Maryland was diagnosed with West Nile virus in mid August and has died as a result, according to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.