Rockland officials have reported the first case of a human being infected with West Nile virus in the county in 2022.
Rockland County Executive Ed Day and Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert reported the discovery in a joint announcement Thursday.
The patient is over 50 years old and lives in Ramapo, they said.
"This human case of West Nile virus reinforces the urgency of the need for people to protect themselves from mosquito bites
Continue to check their property and get rid of standing water around their properties where mosquitoes breed," Ruppert said.
Rockland's first human case of West Nile virus in 2021 also happened in October.
Ruppert said some mosquitoes are most active between dusk and dawn when the air is calm, and the females are most likely to bite.
"However, other mosquitoes will feed at any time of the day," she added. "To protect yourself from bites, use insect repellent when spending time outdoors."
A bite from a mosquito infected with West Nile virus can cause serious illness, and in some cases death.