New West Nile & Zika Cases Reported in MS

So far this year, human cases of WNV have been reported in Calhoun, Chickasaw, Copiah (2), Hinds (4), Grenada, Lamar (2), Leflore, Lowndes, Perry and Rankin counties. The MSDH only reports laboratory-confirmed cases to the public. In 2015, Mississippi had 38 WNV cases and one death.

Additionally, today the MSDH reports one new travel-associated cases of Zika virus, bringing the 2016 total to 18 in Mississippi. The case was reported in a resident of Lamar County who recently traveled to Mexico.

Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that causes severe birth defects in a developing fetus – including brain damage, hearing and vision loss, and impaired growth – if the mother is infected during pregnancy.  The MSDH strongly advises pregnant women not to travel to countries where Zika is actively being transmitted.

Symptoms of WNV infection are often mild and may include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, a rash, muscle weakness or swollen lymph nodes. In a small number of cases, infection can result in encephalitis or meningitis, which can lead to paralysis, coma and possibly death.