2 dead, 1 in hospital from West Nile virus cases in northeastern Wisconsin

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with more information about the victims.

Two men, one from Brown County and one from Fond du Lac County, died. West Nile virus The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported Thursday that one Outagamie County woman has been hospitalized with the virus.

These are the first three cases of West Nile virus in Wisconsin this year.

The two who died were a man in his 50s from Brown County and a man in his 70s from Fond du Lac, according to fire officials. A woman in her 80s from Outagamie County is hospitalized.

DHS also said the victims contracted the virus sometime in July.

The Department of Homeland Security announced that West Nile virus has been confirmed in mosquitoes, animals and blood donors who have tested positive.

last week, Milwaukee, North Shore and Wauwatosa Health Departments Residents in these areas have been warned to take precautions after mosquitoes tested positive for the virus.

In 2023, Twenty-five confirmed and suspected cases of West Nile virus infection were reported. The state will see just six cases in 2022. Two people in Wisconsin have died from the virus in 2023 and one in 2019, according to data provided by Outagamie County Public Health.

The virus is considered endemic in Wisconsin, meaning cases often occur periodically in certain locations, according to Lily Wegner, public health nursing supervisor for the Outagamie County Public Health Department.

“That’s always been the case in Wisconsin. Unfortunately, we have species of mosquitoes that can transmit West Nile virus,” Wegener told the Press Gazette. “There are other states that have mosquitoes that are as bad as Wisconsin or worse.”

The virus is transmitted to humans, birds, and other animals through the bite of an infected mosquito, which transmits the virus by feeding on an infected bird. The virus cannot be transmitted from person to person, animal to animal, or animal to human, according to DHS.

According to DHS, an average of 18 people in Wisconsin are infected with the virus each year, with the most people reporting illness from the virus in August and September. Most people infected with the virus experience no symptoms, but some may experience symptoms such as headache, high fever, weakness, chills and fatigue. Older adults and those with weakened immune systems are at risk of developing severe, life-threatening illness.

West Nile virus doesn’t have any obvious symptoms that would make it easy to identify, Wegener said. But she told the Press-Gazette that 80 percent of people who are infected never develop symptoms. Plus, once you’ve had the virus, it’s unlikely you’ll get it again.

“Once you’ve had West Nile virus, you’re immune for life,” Wegener said. “It’s rare for people to die, and it’s rare for people to become seriously ill, so the best thing you can do is avoid getting stung.”

DHS Recommendations for Protecting Yourself and Your Home

According to the DHS, to prevent mosquito bites:

Apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, lemon eucalyptus oil, or IR3535 to exposed skin and clothing.
Apply permethrin to your clothing before going outdoors. Do not apply permethrin directly to your skin.
Consider rescheduling outdoor activities to take place in the evening or early morning hours, when mosquitoes that spread WNV are most active.
When you are outdoors, wear long sleeves, long pants, and socks to prevent mosquitoes from touching your skin.

DHS says to protect your home from mosquitoes:

It removes standing water from objects around your home and prevents mosquitoes from breeding around your home.
Discard collected water from tin cans, plastic containers, flower pots, discarded tires, roof gutters, downspouts, etc.
Keep wheelbarrows, kiddie pools, buckets, and small boats such as canoes and kayaks upside down when not in use.
Change the water in bird baths and pet dishes at least every three days.
Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs, and drain water from pool covers.
Make sure window and door screens are intact and securely attached to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home.
Mow or cut back tall grass, weeds and vines as they provide resting places for mosquitoes during the hot days of the day.

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