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First cases of West Nile Virus in humans reported in Kent County

Posted at 2:50 PM, Sep 15, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-15 16:14:00-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Kent County Health Department says that there are two human cases of West Nile Virus in the county.

Officials with the department say the two adults are not related and it is unknown where they contracted the virus.  The virus is spread to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes.

West Nile Virus is not contagious from person-to-person, according to health officials.  The species of mosquito that carries West Nile is not known to transmit the Zika virus, which is causing more health problems in Latin America and southern areas of the United States.

The Kent County Health Department has reported previously this summer that the virus had been found in mosquito samples.