First West Nile Virus of the Summer Found in Manchester Mosquitoes

New Hampshire Public Radio | By Annie Ropeik

Published July 25, 2018 at 2:45 PM EDT

State health officials in Manchester have found the summer's first batch of mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus.

Last year, nine batches of mosquitoes and one person tested positive for the virus. West Nile has infected only four people since it was first found in New Hampshire in 2000.

A bite from a West Nile-infected mosquito sometimes leads to flu-like symptoms within a couple of weeks. Very rarely, it can cause more serious illness.

Still, officials say people should take precautions by wearing insect repellant, staying inside at dusk and dawn, and removing standing water from their properties.

Annie Ropeik

Annie Ropeik joined NHPR’s reporting team in 2017, following stints with public radio stations and collaborations across the country. She has reported everywhere from fishing boats, island villages and cargo terminals in Alaska, to cornfields, factories and Superfund sites in the Midwest.

See stories by Annie Ropeik