The state of Colorado is starting to see the results of a year of “unprecedented” West Nile virus risk.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, 19 people have been hospitalized so far this year of 36 people affected with West Nile virus. Nineteen of those 36 people have exhibited serious neurologic symptoms and one person has died after contracting the virus.

While a few dozen people affected with West Nile virus midway through summer might not seem like a lot, it’s worth noting that these cases are happening well ahead of the typical peak. By the point that 36 people were reported to have been affected this year, the five-year to-date average of cases was just 8.2, with cases generally peaking in mid-September. Throughout all of 2022, there were 206 cases, resulting in 143 hospitalizations and 20 deaths.

Based on this data, it would seem as if 2023 is likely to surpass the recent norm in terms of cases, though it may still be unlikely to set a new record.

Historical data reveals that 2003 was the deadliest year on-record (with data going back to 2003) for West Nile virus in Colorado, killing 66 people with a total of 2,948 cases. It’s worth noting that this year proved to be an outlier in terms of both cases and deaths, with 2022 being the second-deadliest year on-record at 20 deaths and 2007 having the second-highest number of cases, at 578.

The lowest presence of West Nile virus in Colorado took place in 2011, with eight cases, four hospitalizations, and no deaths. This is the only year on-record where no West Nile virus deaths occurred in the Centennial State, with 177 deaths attributed to the virus between 2003 and 2022.

There is no human vaccination for West Nile virus and there is no specific treatment. The only way to prevent contracting the virus is to reduce the risk of mosquito bites through use of bug spray, protective clothing, and avoiding areas that may have mosquitos during times the species is most active, typically dusk and dawn. Most cases of West Nile virus are so minor that they go unnoticed, but the virus still has deadly potential.

Explore more data related to West Nile virus in Colorado here.

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