TRENTON, NJ — Two people in New Jersey have died West Nile virus this year, state health officials said Friday.
The New Jersey Department of Health said one death was in Cumberland County and the other in Mercer County. Officials said both individuals were older adults.
Six other cases of West Nile virus were reported in Bergen, Camden, Cumberland, Hudson, Mercer and Middlesex counties, health officials said. They said all the patients were over 50 years old.
These cases are in addition to two were reported earlier this summer in Middlesex and Union counties. Both patients were treated and released, paramedics said.
Of the eight total cases, the health department said seven were hospitalized and experienced brain swelling or swelling of the lining surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Three people who donated blood in Bergen, Passaic and Somerset counties also tested positive for West Nile virus this year, but none showed symptoms, the health department said.
Case of EEE reported in New Jersey
One case of mosquito-borne eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) disease was also reported in New Jersey this year, health officials said.
The patient was a teenager in Atlantic County who began experiencing symptoms in early July and was hospitalized, according to the health department. The patient has since been discharged, health officials said.
In the United States, after a a man in New Hampshire died of a rare disease earlier this year.
How to protect yourself from West Nile virus, EEE
Both West Nile virus and EEE are usually acquired through the bite of a mosquito that has fed on an infected animal.
To protect against disease, health professionals recommend using insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and long pants, and avoiding being outdoors at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.
New Jersey residents should also try to drain or replace outdoor standing water — such as birdbaths, pool covers, clogged rain gutters or outdoor pet water bowls — at least once a week to stop mosquitoes from breeding.
“New Jersey has a long and robust mosquito control and prevention program at the state and local level, which helps strengthen our protections,” state Health Commissioner Kaitlan Baston said in a statement.
Symptoms of West Nile virus and EEE include fever, chills, body and joint aches, although health professionals say most infected people will be asymptomatic. Older adults and immunocompromised individuals are at higher risk of developing serious illness from these diseases.