A woman in her 70s has been infected with West Nile virus in Middlesex County, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported Tuesday, marking the state’s first human case of the mosquito-born disease this year.

“West Nile virus can be a very serious disease and its presence in mosquitoes remains high right now in Massachusetts,” said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein. “While September brings cooler air and the return to school for many in the state, the risk from WNV is going to be elevated for some time. Residents should continue to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites.”

The case is the first in a human in Massachusetts this year, though one WNV infected goat was identified earlier in the summer, DPH said. Over 300 mosquitoes infected with WNV have been found acro

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