Newport Resident Infected with Jamestown Canyon Virus

New Hampshire health officials have announced the state’s fifth case of the Jamestown Canyon Virus, and this time, it has hit locally.

According to a report from the Greenwich Times, health officials stated that the case was in an adult from Newport. On Friday, the individual was hospitalized after feeling left side weakness, unresponsiveness, and having multiple seizures.

JCV is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. Currently, there have been no vaccines developed to cure it, and the only treatment is supportive care. The report states that while many of the illnesses caused by the virus are mild, moderate-to-severe central nervous system symptoms can require hospitalization, and could cause death. Early symptoms include; fever, muscle aches, headaches, and fatigue.

In a statement, State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan commented, “Although JCV is still a rare disease, we are seeing more infections in NH, which is concerning. The risk for mosquito-transmitted infections is present from when snow melts in the spring until there is a mosquito killing frost in the fall.”