Second case of West Nile Virus found in Duval County

Florida’s Department of Health has confirmed a second human case of locally acquired West Nile Virus in Duval County.

The diagnosis comes just over two weeks after the Health Department confirmed the first case.

The department and Jacksonville Mosquito Control are again coordinating surveillance and prevention efforts by ground spraying. Health officials advise that residents can help prevent mosquito bites by applying bug spray, avoiding areas of high infestation, and wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts.

Symptoms of West Nile Virus include fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Severe illness can affect the central nervous symptom and result in hospitalization or death.

The Health Department did not indicate where the two cases of West Nile Virus might have been contracted in Duval County. But it continues to conduct statewide surveillance for mosquito-borne illnesses, including West Nile, Eastern equine encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, malaria and other diseases.

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The CDC says West Nile virus has been detected in a variety of bird species. Some infected birds, especially crows and jays, can get sick and die from the infection. So the reporting and testing of dead birds is one way to check for the presence of West Nile virus.

Local residents are encouraged to report dead birds to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s avian health page.