A Jefferson County resident has the first confirmed case of West Nile virus in Colorado this year.
Typically, most of the state’s West Nile cases appear between June and September, though the season sometimes stretches further into the fall if warm weather lets mosquitoes keep flying and biting.
Jefferson County Public Health didn’t release any information about the person’s demographics or how sick they became. Most people who have West Nile virus never seek testing because they don’t feel sick, or they attribute symptoms such as fever and tiredness to a different illness.
In a small percentage of cases, the virus can , causing coma, paralysis or death. People over 60 and those with compromised immune systems are more likely to become severely ill.
People can reduce their odds of getting West Nile by wearing insect repellent and covering skin while outdoors; limiting activity at dawn and dusk; emptying any standing water around their homes; and repairing door and window screens as necessary.
Last year, , including 144 hospitalizations and 18 deaths. The number of cases varies widely from year to year, with 634 in 2023, but only 76 in 2024.
