Aspinwall man positive for West Nile Virus, 1st Allegheny County case since 2018

An Aspinwall man has tested positive for West Nile Virus – the first known human case in Allegheny County since 2018, according to the county health department.

The man is in his 60s, said spokesman Chris Togneri, though information on his health was not immediately available. He said the health department has set up additional mosquito traps around the borough and treated certain areas.

Mosquitoes across the county have tested positive throughout the summer. Most recently, pesticide treatments were deployed in parts of the West End and North Side on Friday. Earlier this year, areas around the South Side Flats and South Side Slopes as well as hilltop neighborhoods like Arlington, Beltzhoover, Mt. Washington and others were treated as well.

Treatment is done with a pesticide called Zenivex E20, which is not dangerous to people or pets. It is generally sprayed from a truck-mounted low-volume sprayer and done in the evening.

Most people – 70% to 80% — who contract West Nile don’t develop symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Around 20% of people could get a fever and other symptoms like headaches and body aches, joint pain, vomiting or others. An even smaller amount of people – around 1% — will develop a neurologic illness caused by brain or surrounding tissue inflammation.

There have been around 50 human cases of West Nile in the past 20 years, according to the health department: five in 2018, two in 2017, three in 2015, one in 2014, 2011 and 2007, six in 2005, 11 in 2003 and 21 cases in 2002.