A Mainer has been infected with West Nile virus.
It’s the first case in four years of someone contracting the virus locally.
The Cumberland County resident is in their 40s and has no recent history of travel outside Maine, leading health officials to conclude the virus was acquired locally, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
It’s the second confirmed human case in Maine this year, the Maine CDC said Tuesday.
That comes as the state has seen a sharp uptick in mosquito-borne illnesses, primarily among animals. So far this year, West Nile virus has been found in 15 birds, including in Bangor, Bar Harbor and Portland; eastern equine encephalitis has been found in four horses, two emus, one llama and one wild turkey; and Jamestown Canyon virus has been found in four mosquito pools, including in Orono.
A New Hampshire resident died last month after contracting eastern equine encephalitis, the first human infection in the Granite State in a decade.
READ MORE ABOUT MOSQUITO-BORNE ILLNESSES
The uptick in mosquito-borne viruses prompted the state Arboviral Public Health Panel to vote earlier this month to recommend that Gov. Janet Mills declare a public health emergency.
“Maine people know that mosquitoes are a nuisance, but we want people to be aware that they can also potentially lead to serious consequences for your health. Whether mowing the lawn, walking the dog, or enjoying a meal outside, we want all Maine people to remember to take precautions against mosquito bites whenever you go outside,” Maine CDC Director Dr. Puthiery Va said in a statement.
Eight in 10 people infected with West Nile virus never show symptoms. Symptoms of West Nile virus include body aches, diarrhea, fever, headaches, rashes or vomiting, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
One in 150 people infected with the virus develop more severe symptoms, including brain swelling and spinal inflammation. About 1 in 10 people who develop severe infections die, according to the U.S. CDC.
There is no treatment for West Nile virus.
Mainers can take precautions against West Nile virus by wearing insect repellant, long-sleeve shirts and long pants; draining pools of standing water; and installing or repairing broken window screens.
