Mid-Hudson News reports that the season’s first human case of West Nile virus has been reported by Rockland County officials. The patient lives in Ramapo, is over the age of 50, and tested positive for the illness. That human case “reinforces the urgency of the need for people to protect themselves against mosquito bites and to continue to check their property and get rid of standing water around their properties where mosquitoes breed,” said County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert. Most mosquitoes do not test positive for the disease-causing virus; however, a bite from a West Nile virus-infected mosquito can cause serious illness, and in some cases, death. Health officials said although a person’s chances of getting sick are small, those 50 and older are at the highest risk for serious complications, including neurological diseases, and can also cause a milder flu-like illness. Anyone experiencing symptoms of West Nile virus is advised to see a physician right away. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the state of New York reported 40 cases of West Nile virus in 2021. Read the full story at Mid-HudsonNews [dot] com.