Two women in Idaho have been infected with the mosquito-borne illness West Nile virus, marking the first confirmed human cases within days of each other in Idaho this year.
One woman is in her 60s from Washington County, but did not require hospitalization
However, the second woman —who is in her 40s from Payette County— was hospitalized after reporting symptoms beginning in early July. She is still recovering.
Mosquitoes have tested positive for the virus in nine counties: Adams, Washington, Valley, Gem, Payette, Canyon, Ada, Owyhee, and Bingham. A horse in Washington County has also tested positive for West Nile.
West Nile is usually contracted from the bite of an infected mosquito. It is not spread from person-to-person through casual contact.
Symptoms of infection often include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash.