DEFIANCE, Ohio - A Defiance County man has died after contracting West Nile virus.
WTOL 11 reports the 74-year-old man is the first West Nile death in the state this year. There were four deaths from the virus a year ago.
The Ohio Department of Health says the man was hospitalized with encephalitis. There are ten more reported cases across the state.
“This time of the year, the risk of West Nile virus infection increases and individuals should take precautions to avoid mosquito bites and eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites,” said ODH State Epidemiologist and Bureau Chief of Infectious Diseases Sietske de Fijter. “Mosquito season in Ohio lasts until the first freeze which is not usually until mid-October.”