The West Nile Virus Is Back In Miami & It Couldn't Have Come At A Worse Time

An old virus has arrived to make 2020 in South Florida that much better. West Nile Virus has hit Miami, and it's infecting residents. A health advisory on the virus has been issued for the county at large.

Fourteen people so far have been struck with the mosquito-borne illness, and "local transmission" has been detected within the population, according to the latest advisory issued by the Florida Department of Health.

West Nile Virus has long been a scourge on the landscape of the Magic City. Typical symptoms are headaches, fatigue, and fever, but most who come down with the illness often experience mild or no symptoms at all.

The transmission of the virus within Miami-Dade County couldn't have come at a worse time for the region. The area is already dealing with COVID-19, which carries some of the same symptoms.

COVID-19 has been a devastating health crisis for the region, infecting more than 110,000 residents, according to the state's Dashboard. Now with West Nile Virus beginning its summer run, it could prove to be a double-whammy on a population that's been hit back-to-back with virus news.

The first case of West Nile Virus was reported on May 9 and was the first advisory put out for the region. Miami-Dade is consistently the only county in the state that's sat under a mosquito-borne illness alert.

Miami has long been a perfect home for mosquitos. This year, the city came in at number 10 on Orkin's 2020 mosquito report, jumping four spots from the previous year.

There are many precautions you can take to make sure your home or yourself stays mosquito-free. At home, make sure to "drain and cover" any standing water in buckets and cover pools.

When you're out-and-about, you can protect yourself by wearing pants, socks, and long-sleeve shirts. If you can't do long-sleeves because of the summer heat, apply mosquito repellent to your skin to keep the nasty bugs away.