(LEX 18) — The Kentucky Department for Public Health has issued a statewide Health Alert due to a rise in mosquito-borne illnesses, including West Nile Virus and La Crosse encephalitis virus.

On Tuesday, health officials confirmed 19 cases of West Nile Virus across Kentucky this year, including one death. That’s compared to an average of 7 cases of West Nile Virus in previous years.

Two confirmed cases of La Crosse virus have also been reported in Eastern and Central Kentucky, along with two suspected cases under investigation. Historically, Kentucky saw only 11 cases of La Crosse virus statewide from 2003 to 2024, the health department reported.

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department has now identified four human cases of West Nile Virus locally. All four patients, adults rangi

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