MALONE, N.Y. (ABC22/FOX44) - New York's North Country has confirmed a case of West Nile Virus. This follows 26 cases reported elsewhere in the state so far this year - 5 in Western New York, 3 in Central New York, and 18 in the NYC metropolitan area.

The case was reported in Franklin County, which has not seen a human case of WNV in more than 20 years.

The mosquito-borne illness was first reported in the U.S. in 1999. Since then it has spread throughout the country, and is most common in the Great Plains during late summer. Cases are rare in the winter.

Most people show either no symptoms or only mild flu-like symptoms, but the disease is fatal in up to 10% of cases, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control.

According to Franklin County Public Health, people can reduce their ri

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