BOSTON (AP) — State health officials say a 17th case of mosquito-borne West Nile virus has been reported in Massachusetts, nearly triple last year's cases.
The health department said the case is a Brookline woman in her 20s who recovered without hospitalization. One person has died from West Nile this summer.
Mosquitoes infected with West Nile have been found in 109 communities in nine counties this summer. Officials say the state could see its greatest number of human cases since West Nile was first seen here in 2000. Last year there were six.
Officials have said a mild winter and spring may have led to more mosquitoes. Other areas of the country also have seen an upsurge.
Massachusetts has had six cases of mosquito-borne Eastern equine encephalitis, and one death. There were two cases and one death last year.
