ClarksvilleNow.com Reporting
news@clarksvillenow.com
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Health has confirmed one human case of West Nile Virus (WNV) this week, the first human case confirmed in Tennessee in 2014.
The WNV case involves a resident of Shelby County who is now recovering.
“West Nile has been present in our state since 2001, and along with recent news about chikungunya virus is a reminder mosquitoes can carry disease and sometimes death, just as they did in our historic past here in Tennessee,” said TDH Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH.
“We know most mosquitoes live their lives and die within a few blocks of the typically stagnant standing water where they were born. Reducing breeding areas is an old strategy we need to bring back to protect our families, neighbors and customers, so in addition to personal bite protection, we urge people across Tennessee to remove standing water around their homes and businesses.”
In 2013, Tennessee had 24 human cases of West Nile virus, including three that resulted in death.
For more information on West Nile virus, visit the Tennessee Department of Health website.