Wyoming has seen a slight increase in the number of West Nile Virus cases in the state. State Health Officials say a surge in recent weeks has pushed the number of confirmed cases to 13 with one death.
Kim Deti with the Wyoming Department of Health says last year the state confirmed seven cases. She says it’s difficult to say why they’ve seen an increase this year.
“We’ve seen some wild swings, we know there are factors that affect West Nile Virus, including weather and presence of water, different combinations of things going on with birds, and mosquito control certainly and whether people take care of themselves. None of that comes together in a mix, in a recipe that lets us predict or explain it.”
The state has seen as many as 393 cases in one year since the virus was first detected in 2002. Deti says since there has been an increase in recent weeks, people should still use bug spray and take precautions.