2nd West Nile Virus Case Found In Camden County

CAMDEN COUNTY, NJ — Another person in Camden County was diagnosed with West Nile Virus, officials said.

It marks Camden County's second-known human case of the mosquito-borne illness this year. The first was detected in late August.

The case was detected in a laboratory test, which was reported this week to the Camden County Health Department. County health officials initiated an investigation.

The county did not reveal the patient's town or their condition.

Fifteen West Nile Virus cases, including three deaths, have been reported in the state this year through August. The deaths were in Cumberland, Mercer and Middlesex counties, according to the NJ Department of Health.

West Nile Virus is most commonly spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, according to the CDC. Symptoms can include fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.

Only 1 in 5 people infected get a fever or other symptoms. One in 150 develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness, the CDC says.

The best way to protect yourself is to avoid mosquito bites, says Camden County Commissioner Virginia Betteridge, liaison to the county health department.

"To do so, residents should wear long sleeved shirts and pants when possible, use bug spray and take steps to control mosquitos on their property by removing standing water," Betteridge said in a statement. "The Mosquito Control Commission have also completed additional spraying, treating, trapping and mosquito testing in the area."

County officials also recommended using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents with one of the following active ingredients:

• DEET
  
• Picaridin (known as KBR 3023 and icaridin outside the US)
• IR3535
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
• Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
• 2-undecanone

Throughout the summer and fall, the Camden County Mosquito Commission schedules spraying on an as-needed basis, based on public input and the results of surveillance efforts. Removing standing water from your property can help reduce your neighborhood's pest population, officials said.

In Camden County, West Nile Virus has been detected this year in 11 mosquito pools (groups of mosquitos) — New Jersey's fourth-lowest total, according to the state health department's latest data.

Visit the CDC's webpage for more information about West Nile Virus. For local info, or to report a problem, contact the Camden County Mosquito Commission at 856-566-2945 or skeeters@camdencounty.com.