West Nile in Missouri – Virus Reported in St. Louis County

The state health department says a 54-year-old St. Louis County man has the state's first case of West Nile virus this summer.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the man was hospitalized but is now recovering after contracting the mosquito-borne virus in mid-August.

The virus was far more prevalent in Missouri in 2012, affecting 21 people last summer. Cases are also down significantly nationwide.

State health officials also reported a probable case of dengue fever in a 27-year-old woman from St. Louis County. Dengue is also transmitted by mosquitoes and is most common in tropical regions. The woman did not become infected in Missouri.