CLERMONT COUNTY, Ohio -- A southwest Ohio man is the state's first confirmed case of West Nile virus this year.
The 44-year-old from Clermont County is recovering and didn't require hospitalization, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
Twenty-nine Ohio counties have reported West Nile virus activity in mosquitoes collected this year as part of statewide surveillance.
"This time of year, we could possibly see a growing number of human cases of West Nile virus infection and positive mosquito samples throughout the state," State Epidemiologist and Bureau Chief of Infectious Disease Sietske de Fijter said. "This case serves to remind Ohioans that they should take precautions to avoid mosquito bites and eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites in order to prevent mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile virus."
RELATED: Here's how to protect yourself
Twenty-eight states have reported more than 200 combined human West Nile virus cases so far in 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
According to the Ohio Department of Health, 17 Ohioans became infected with West Nile in 2016. Four of them died.
Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so regularly tipping out wading pools, buckets, bird baths and outdoor pet bowls is one way to keep them at bay.
Other tips:
- Use mosquito "dunks" in areas of standing water you can't drain. The "dunks" kill mosquito larvae in the water but are harmless to people and pets.
- Keep lawns mowed and bushes trimmed.
- Make sure screens in windows and doors are tight-fitting to keep mosquitoes out.
- Wear long sleeves and pants during peak mosquito hours, which are around dawn and dusk.
- Use an insect repellent such as those containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon or eucalyptus.
About 70 to 80 percent of people won't get sick if they're bitten by an infected mosquito. West Nile symptoms can include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Symptoms can last for as short as a few days, though even healthy people have been sick for several weeks.
Less than 1 percent of people will develop serious symptoms, including high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. These symptoms could last several weeks, and neurological effects could be permanent.
People over age 50 are most at risk. Anyone with the symptoms should see a doctor.
