JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) - The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) reported the first case of West Nile Virus (WNV) for the 2025 mosquito season.

This first case was confirmed in Rankin County. In 2024, Mississippi recorded 59 confirmed human cases and eight deaths related to WNV.

WNV is transmitted primarily through the bite of an infected mosquito. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people (8 out of 10) infected with WNV do not develop any symptoms. About one in five people who are infected develop a fever with other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash.

According to MSDH, the summer is prime time for mosquitos to feast and potentially spread illnesses like WNV.

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