COLORADO, USA — Colorado is bracing for another bad mosquito season. The CDC reports Colorado had the worst West Nile virus outbreak in the U.S. in 2023 with 626 infections and 50 deaths, making it one of the deadliest years on record for the state.
West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne illness. Area doctors tell 9NEWS it's becoming more and more common to see cases of the virus here in Colorado.
“The main concern [this year] is West Nile infections,” said UCHealth Infectious Disease expert Dr. Thomas Campbell. “West Nile, for most people, is a mild illness and they get over it. However, older individuals and individuals who may have compromised immune systems can sometimes get severe and fatal West Nile infection.”
Symptoms of West Nile can be different for each person. Eighty percent of people infected report no symptoms at all. The other 20 percent who get sick experience fatigue, fevers, headaches, joint pain, rash, and stomach issues. UCHealth said a small number of those people also had neurological symptoms like memory issues and problems walking.
“We do have deaths from West Nile in Colorado almost every year,” Campbell said.
In the past few years, Colorado has seen an increase in the number of West Nile deaths. The state reported 11 deaths in 2021, 20 deaths in 2022, and 50 deaths in 2023.
Campbell said mosquitoes like to be near water; it is one of the spots where they lay their eggs. As we head into the summer months, he is bracing for more West Nile infections and deaths this year.
"We've had a wet April and May, as you may have noticed and everything is very green because of that, which is very good, but this could also lead to a burst in mosquito populations as the weather warms up,” Campbell said. “The key is preventing mosquito bites.”
UCHealth made a list of things people can do to prevent a bite:
- Avoid areas near standing water where mosquitoes breed.
- Parents can get mosquito netting to cover babies in strollers.
- If you are also using sunscreen, apply that first and insect repellent second.
- Be aware mosquitos are most active in the morning and evening hours.
Last year, Colorado also saw an increase in the number of horses with West Nile Virus, with 45 confirmed cases and 10 deaths.
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