At least three people in New Jersey have been infected with the West Nile virus in what state health officials have said are some of the earliest ever reports of the disease.
Officials said cases of the illness aren’t typically reported in New Jersey until between mid-August and mid-September, but that a rainy spring and hot start to summer have brought mosquito season earlier than expected.
Two people — a senior citizen and a child — reported symptoms in early July and were hospitalized before being discharged. The virus was found in the blood of a third, asymptomatic person, the state health department said.
The people who tested positive were from Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties. Infected mosquitos have also been reported in Hudson and Bergen counties.
West Nile virus is spread from infected mosquitos to humans, but is only rarely spread from person to person, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, anyone diagnosed with West Nile should not donate blood or bone marrow for 120 days following infection.
The virus can cause a number of symptoms, including weakness, headache, gastrointestinal issues and rash. It can also turn deadly if harsher symptoms develop, like fever, seizures or movement disorders.
Last year, 14 cases of West Nile virus were reported in New Jersey, the health department said. One was fatal.
New York City and its surrounding areas have also seen infected mosquitos earlier than usual, though no human cases have yet to be reported this year.