ST. PAUL (AP) -- Residents in central and western Minnesota could see an increased risk of West Nile virus because unseasonably high temperatures in June created ideal breeding conditions for the type of mosquito that caries the virus, health officials said Wednesday.
So far, there have been no human cases of West Nile virus reported in Minnesota this year, the Health Department said.
But June counts of Culex tarsalis mosquitoes were the highest recorded since 2002, when the virus was first detected in Minnesota. That mosquito is the main culprit in spreading the virus.
West Nile can cause headaches, high fever, rash, seizures, paralysis, and in extreme cases, death. Symptoms usually occur anywhere from three to 15 days after being bitten.
David Neitzel, an epidemiologist specializing in mosquito-borne diseases, encouraged Minnesotans to use mosquito repellent.
