Equine Cases On The Rise

Two more New Jersey residents have tested positive for the presence of West Nile virus (WNV). The new cases include an 82-year old Little Falls man who died in September, and a 72-year old Bayonne woman who is home recovering.

The Little Falls man is the first person with WNV to die this year in the United States. He became ill Sept. 3, and was admitted to The Mountainside Hospital three days later. He died Sept. 14. The Bayonne woman was admitted to Bayonne Hospital Sept.1 and discharged Sept. 6.

Both residents were most likely bitten by infected mosquitoes in mid to late August. Since then, mosquito control activities and colder weather have helped reduce the risk of further WNV transmission. To date, four people in New Jersey have been diagnosed with WNV.

WNV has also been detected in six horses from Atlantic (2), Cape May (1), Ocean (1) and Sussex (2) Counties. The tests were conducted by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s animal health laboratory in Trenton and were confirmed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa.