West Nile Virus Strikes Massachusetts with First Two Cases

Two Massachusetts residents have contracted the West Nile virus, marking the state's first human cases this year. The virus is at a moderate risk level in several counties, and health officials have warned that August and September are the highest risk months for contracting the disease. The West Nile virus is primarily spread through mosquito bites and can cause febrile illness or, in rare cases, serious conditions affecting the nervous system. The virus has become the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the US since its introduction in 1999.