LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - There have been no cases of the mosquito-borne West Nile virus so far this year in Nebraska, the Lincoln Journal Star reported Sunday.
Jeff Hamik, an insect-transmitted illness expert at Nebraska's health department, told the newspaper that it's unusual to have no cases by this time in the year.
Hamik said a cool spring might have delayed mosquito breeding, resulting in the longest period without a pool of West Nile-positive mosquitoes in Nebraska history.
Hamik said West Nile cases in people will start cropping up in the next few weeks in Nebraska, but he expects fewer cases than normal in the state this year.
Most people with West Nile virus don't have symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can cause flu-like symptoms and sometimes leads to severe illness, including brain inflammation.