WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A Windsor County resident has tested positive for Jamestown Canyon Virus, an illness that is spread through a bite from an infected mosquito. It is the first known case of the virus in a person in Vermont.
Lab testing confirmed Monday that the Windsor County patient, who was not identified in a news release from the Department of Health, had been infected by the virus.
Most cases of Jamestown Canyon virus are asymptomatic, but people who do develop symptoms might experience fever, fatigue, headaches, or more severe symptoms such as seizures.
The health department began testing mosquitoes for the virus this year through a preexisting monitoring program for West Nile virus and Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE.
The first detection of Jamestown Canyon virus in a Vermont mosquito was in July, though the virus has been found in surrounding states including New Hampshire. There have been no cases of West Nile or EEE in Vermont so far this year.
The health department recommends that people take steps to prevent mosquito bites including limiting time outside at dawn and dusk, covering arms and legs, using insect repellent and getting rid of standing water.
