First Verified West Nile Virus Case In Colorado In 2023
The first verified human case of the West Nile virus in Colorado this year has been identified in La Plata County, according to the state’s health department on Monday. Although no cases have been recorded from those seven additional Colorado counties, the virus has been found in mosquitoes there as well. Arapahoe, Boulder, Delta, Denver, Larimer, Pueblo, and Weld are those counties. Colorado has benefited from unprecedented rain in many ways, including reduced fire danger, an end to the drought, and lush landscape. However, one drawback is an increase in the state’s mosquito population. The heavy rainfall this year has led to historic mosquito numbers in some areas of the state, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). “The risk of West Nile virus transmission to humans has increased due to the virus’s known presence and unusually high mosquito activity.” The majority of West Nile virus infections go unnoticed, but for a small percentage o...