First Ohio human case of West Nile Virus found in Clermont County

CINCINNATI -  

The first Ohio human case of West Nile Virus this year occurred in Clermont County.

An 85-year-old Clermont County man was diagnosed with the virus on Friday.

The Ohio Health Department says this case is about a month earlier than the first case last year and is attributing it to the warmer, dryer weather.

In a press release, Assistant Health Commissioner, Julianne Nesbit said, "This is not surprising, since there are cases of West Nile virus every year throughout the country. The key is for residents to protect themselves and their families from all mosquito bites by wearing insect repellent and eliminating areas of standing water."

Health officials are warning about the risk of West Nile virus to Ohio residents after seeing a 460-percent increase in mosquitoes carrying the virus in pockets of the state.

The Ohio Department of Health says the number of mosquito samples testing positive for the sometimes-deadly virus at this point in the year went from 38 in 2011 to 213 this year. That's the highest number at this point since 2002.

West Nile virus is spread through mosquito bites.  Experts advise the following steps to protect yourself:

• Use insect repellent
• Wear protective clothing when outdoors when mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn.  Light colors are least attractive to mosquitoes
• Drain all containers on your property that hold water

West Nile may produce no symptoms in some infected people.  Others will have flu like symptoms.