HEMET, CA - APRIL 26: A field sample of mosquitoes that could carry West Nile Virus is seen at offices of the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health on April 26, 2007 in Hemet, California. California health officials announced this week that West Nile Virus season is starting earlier than usual because of an unusually warm March. Mosquitoes that carry the virus have begun breeding earlier than usual and the West Nile Virus has been detected in mosquito pools, birds, or horses in eight California counties. Although the virus has not been detected in humans so far this year, 24 people have died and 1,200 sickened by the virus over the past two years in California. West Nile can be transmitted from infected birds, squirrels, and other animals to humans and animals such as horses through several varieties of female mosquitoes. The disease first appeared in the United States in 1999 in New York and killed hundreds of people during its westward expansion before gaining a firm foothold in California in 2004. In reaction to the early start of West Nile Virus season, the California State Legislature this week declared April 23-29 "West Nile Virus and Mosquito and Vector Control Awareness Week". The effected counties include Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Santa Clara, San Diego, Sonoma and Stanislaus. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
TSR Health: We outside! might turn into we inside real quick after mosquitoes carrying a virus that causes paralysis and death have been spotted in at least six U.S. states.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile virus, which is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the U.S. The illness typically peaks around this time of year, Insider reports.
New York was the latest state to report infected mosquitoes in recent weeks. Rockland County reported two groups of mosquitoes carrying the virus in Orangetown and Clarkstown in a press release.
The other states where the mosquitoes have been spotted are Massachusetts, Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, and Iowa.
While Massachusetts also has no known human cases, the other states have seen one or two people fall severely ill with the virus this summer, according to the CDC.
Despite what people probably think, mosquitoes kill more people than any other creature in the world, according to Insider.
The insects are transporters of several dangerous diseases including malaria, dengue, Zika, and more.
Most people infected with the West Nile virus don’t even know they’re sick, and the virus rarely spreads from human to human. Insider says about one in five people infected with West Nile will come down with a fever and flu-like symptoms such as headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash.
An even smaller percentage go on to develop severe illness that can lead to paralysis or death.
Two people in Arizona and three people across Arkansas, Illinois, and Iowa have experienced such severe cases. In Arkansas, the infected person passed away.
Last year, 39 U.S. states reported cases of West Nile virus. Of the cases reported, 505 were severe or neuroinvasive, and 52 people passed.
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