West Nile Virus Warning For Much Of Kansas

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a high-risk warning for West Nile virus – or WNV – infections for north central, south central, northeast, and southeast Kansas.

Northwest and southwest Kansas are at moderate risk for WNV infections.

WNV is the leading cause of mosquito-borne illness in the continental United States.

It is most often spread to people through mosquito bites, but it is not spread from person to person.

About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms.

About 1 out of 150 infected people develop swelling of the brain or brain tissue and, in some cases, death.

There are no vaccines or medications to treat WNV.

People who have had WNV previously are considered immune.

So far, there have not been any reported cases of WNV in Kansas this year.