6-Year Old Delware Girl Gets West Nile Virus

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Delaware officials say a 6-year-old Sussex County girl is recovering after contracting West Nile Virus.
 
Officials said Thursday that the girl's illness, which resulted in a brief hospital stay, is the first human West Nile Virus case reported in Delaware since 2013.
 
Public Health director Dr. Karyl Rattay said the case is a reminder that mosquito-borne virus is still active in Delaware.
 
Officials say the vast majority of people infected with the virus will not become ill, but that roughly 20 percent will develop fever and other symptoms, including headache, body aches, a skin rash and swollen lymph glands.
 
But the virus can also lead to potentially fatal encephalitis or meningitis, particularly among the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.