Health officials in New Jersey confirmed the state’s first mosquito-borne disease of the year after a man in his sixties from Sussex County tested positive for Jamestown Canyon virus. The unnamed patient experienced onset of fever and neurological symptoms in May, the state health department announced this week.
The patient had not traveled, and was released from the hospital to a long-term rehabilitation center last week, a spokesperson for the health department told Fox News. The case marks the state’s second such reported infection; the first case occurred in 2015 in Sussex County.
“Spending time outdoors, whether walking, gardening, or playing with our dogs, is a good way to maintain physical and mental health, but it is important to take steps to prevent mosquito and tick bites, which are responsible for several diseases in New Jersey” Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said in a statement. “When enjoying the outdoors, remember to use an EPA-registered insect repellent, cover skin with clothing when you can, and check yourself and your pets for ticks and quickly remove them with tweezers.”
