West Nile Virus detected in Brown County mosquito pools

The South Dakota Department of Health has announced mosquito pools in Brown County have detected the West Nile Virus. The virus is spread through mosquito bites and can cause fever, headaches, rash, muscle and joint aches. The DOH also says they state has already had one case of West Nile which is considered an early season outlier according to the release. Since 2002, there have been 2,952 humane cases of West Nile in South Dakota and 58 deaths. Health officials encourage residents take basic precautions to protect themselves from being bitten by mosquitoes. That includes wearing long sleeve clothing, limit outdoor activity in the morning and at dusk, remove standing water from your property and wear insect reprellant.