It has been confirmed by the authorities that the West Nile virus outbreak last year was very mild and not severe like the earlier years. Only one serious case of illness has been reported till now this year.

As per the U.S. health officials, there were only 386 cases of serious illness due to West Nile virus and it also led to 33 deaths last year. This figure is much lesser from the times, when the virus was at its peak and led to almost
3,000 people getting severely ill, and also causing more than 260 deaths.

The virus was first discovered in the United States in the year 1999. It is mainly spread by mosquitoes and they get this virus from the birds that they eat. Most of the cases of the West Nile Virus are reported from July to September.

The symptoms of the West Nile Virus include neck stiffness, disorientation, coma and paralysis.

Health experts feel that one of the reasons for fewer cases of the virus may be that the birds have developed immunity to this virus.