Maricopa County Health Officials have announced the first confirmed case of West Nile Virus this season.
Craig Levy, an epidemiologist with the Maricopa County Department of Health, said this is peak mosquito season. He said the dangerous cycle starts when people leave pools of standing water after a monsoon storm. That allows for quality mosquito breeding conditions.
“The mosquitos pick up the virus from infected birds. So, it’s a virus and bird cycle that builds up over time. And now, we are at that point in the season to where the virus numbers have built up so we are starting to see more human cases,” Levy said.
The first confirmed case was in a 50-year-old man. Levy said the department has since confirmed other cases. He said the Qulex mosquito, which carries the West Nile Virus, is most active at night.
