HYANNIS – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has announced an additional human case of West Nile virus in the state, which brings the total number of cases this year to eight.
The male in his 40s was exposed to WNV in Middlesex County.
The DPH reports that most WNV activity this year has been focused in the areas around Boston that include parts of Norfolk, Middlesex, and Essex counties.
WNV is usually transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.
The virus can infect people of all ages, though people over the age of 50 are at higher risk for severe disease.
The DPH encourages the use of precautions like insect repellent and covering exposed skin with clothing like long-sleeve shirts when mosquitoes are most active.
After the first hard frost of the season, mosquitoes and the viruses they carry will become less of a concern.
In 2019, there were five reported human cases of WNV infection, according to the DPH.