West Nile Virus Hits Baltimore Area, Health Officials Say

The first case of a person infected with West Nile virus in Maryland has been reported for 2015, and state health officials say the infected person is an adult living in the Baltimore metropolitan area.

One Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene leader says he was not surprised by the announcement.

“A case of [West Nile virus] is expected around this time of year,” Deputy Secretary of Public Health Services Dr. Howard Haft said in a statement.

Each year, there are several cases of people infected with West Nile virus in Maryland, where there were six people infected in 2014, according to the statement.

West Nile virus is transmitted by mosquito bites and affects the nervous system.

Fewer than 1 percent of people infected experience symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which says the most common area headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash. There is no treatment.

Mosquitoes with West Nile Found in Two Counties

The Maryland Department of Agriculture is going to spray areas within a 1-mile radius of where the infected person resides in the Baltimore metro area, the Maryland Department of Mental Health and Hygiene reported.

It was not disclosed where the infected person lives.

West Nile virus has been detected in mosquito trap sites in both Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties, and as a result, they will be conducting spray operations, state health officials reported Tuesday.

Authorities first found mosquitos that tested positive for West Nile on Aug. 5 in Bowie, where officials sprayed for mosquitoes the following night.

Related: West Nile Virus Found In Bowie Mosquitoes

In addition, the department plans to spray other communities throughout the state as a matter of routine. See information about Baltimore County’s mosquito control program here.

How to Avoid Getting West Nile

“Marylanders are reminded that they can take simple steps to reduce the risk of getting infected,” said Haft.

He issued these recommendations for avoiding exposure:

• Avoid outdoor activities at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.
• Empty any standing water.
• Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts and hats outside.
• Use an EPA-registered insect repellent according to package directions.