West Nile Virus Found In Medford Mosquitoes

MEDFORD, MA — The state’s Department of Public Health announced that West Nile Virus has been discovered in mosquito samples from Medford.

West Nile is a potentially fatal virus that is transferred from mosquitoes to humans. It can present itself in symptoms such as headache, high fever, neck stiffness, muscle weakness, stupor, disorientation, tremors, seizures, paralysis, and coma.

The year’s first case of West Nile was discovered in the Central Massachusetts town of Lunenberg when a goat was diagnosed with it.

To minimize mosquito presence, the town is advising residents to do things such as applying insect repellent and draining any standing water that attracts them.