Duval County has highest rate of West Nile virus in State, according to Health Department report

According to a new report from the Florida Department of Health, Duval County leads the state of Florida in human cases of West Nile virus.

The department told Action News Jax there were more cases of the illness in 2018 than in the previous five years combined.

Action News Jax reporter Ryan Nelson obtained a county report that will be presented to the City Council's Neighborhoods, Community Services,

Public Health and Safety Committee on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.

According to the report, there were 29 confirmed cases of West Nile virus in Florida through November 2018. There were 16 cases in Northeast Florida and 10 in Duval County in that time period.

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The latest 2018 numbers reveal 13 cases through mid-December, the highest rate of West Nile virus in Duval County since 2012, when there were 28 cases. There were seven cases from the beginning of 2013 through the end of 2017. There were no cases in Duval County in 2017.

“That’s kind of scary, to be honest,” said Kimber Clark, a local mother of five.  “I mean, not knowing that’s been here like that."

The Health Department said the number could be even higher when the final report from the month of December is released.

Clark said she’s relieved to know the department is making people aware.

“It’s something that’s making people sick,” said Clark. “So, yeah, people need to take precaution.”

A Florida Department of Health spokesperson tells us in a statement:

“This is a concern because often when there are very few to no cases, residents are not as diligent as they are when there are many cases. We encourage Duval County residents to be aware that the West Nile Virus is occurring in high numbers.”

“I’m just always dumping, trying to get rid of it after the rain and stuff because I don’t like mosquitoes anyway,” said Clark.

Three other Northeast Florida counties had local cases of West Nile virus from January 2018 through November 2018, including one in Putnam County, two in Clay County and three in Nassau County.

We’re contacting Jacksonville City officials to learn more about the efforts to slow down the trend.

Cox Media Group