Second West Nile virus infection confirmed in Miami-Dade

Florida health officials on Wednesday confirmed the second case of West Nile virus in Miami-Dade County.

Officials said a resident was confirmed to have contracted the virus from a local transmission, making it the second case for the county in 2020, according to the Miami Herald.

The county health department declared a mosquito-borne illness alert on May 9 following the first confirmed West Nile case of the year, according to an official statement.

Due to a lack of preventative vaccines or medication to treat the virus, the West Nile virus is considered to be the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental U.S., the department said.

The department warned most people infected with the virus do not feel sick, adding that about 1 in 5 people experience symptoms such as pain, headache, fever and fatigue that usually appear between 2 and 14 days after an infected mosquito bites.

Fewer than 1 percent of infected people can develop a severe and sometimes fatal illness. People over the age of 60 or people with weakened immune systems are at an increased risk for severe disease. 

The health department urges residents to follow the “Drain and Cover” personal protection efforts, reminding people to drain any items or areas that can collect standing water pools to prevent mosquitos from populating near residencies.

The “Cover” element reminds residents to cover their skin with long sleeves, pants and tall socks as well as apply mosquito repellent onto bare skin.