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West Nile Virus detected in Kent County

Posted at 3:48 PM, Jul 30, 2015
and last updated 2015-07-30 15:48:28-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Kent County Health Department has found the first evidence of the West Nile Virus in the county.

Signs of the virus were found in a pool of tested mosquitoes from the 49504 zip code in Grand Rapids.  The sample showed a positive result collected between Tuesday, July 28 and today.

The health department says that they have been capturing and testing mosquitoes in 11 traps placed throughout the county.  The positive result was in mosquitoes and not in a person.  The department expects West Nile to now be present in the area to some degree until first frost.

West Nile can be deadly in some people, especially those with weakened immune systems and the elderly. Since 2001 when Michigan had its first case of West Nile, 1,100 people have been diagnosed with the disease and 92 have died statewide.