Public health officials announced Monday the 25th case of West Nile virus this year in Massachusetts, an uptick from six cases in 2017.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health said the most recent case is a man in his 70s from Hampshire County who is hospitalized due to his illness.
“Even though we will soon head into October, we continue to notify the public of West Nile virus so people will continue taking precautions to prevent mosquito bites,” Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel said. “This latest case is a bit unusual in that most of our cases have been from urban area and this man is from Hampshire County, where cases of [West Nile virus] are not seen as often.”
DPH said the risk of West Nile virus being transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito will continue until the first hard frost.