State health officials confirmed another human case of West Nile virus in Churchill County Friday, bringing the Lahontan Valley total to 11 with four other cases considered "probable."
The Nevada State Health Division also confirmed five new human cases of the mosquito-borne virus in Clark County and one in Washoe County, bringing the state total to 35.
One Churchill County resident with the virus died this month, however his death is not considered West Nile related. The elderly man had other medical conditions listed as the cause of death, a state health official said.
Churchill County mosquito-abatement director Nancy Upham said Friday recent cool temperatures have yet to kill off the insects around Fallon, but they do seem to have killed off the virus in the local mosquito population, according to recent test results on Fallon-area mosquitoes.
"Most recently, the mosquito pools have been negative," Upham said, adding that the virus only incubates in higher temperatures.
The cooler temperatures have also made it more difficult to kill adult mosquitoes, according to Upham, because the bugs have to be out and about to be sprayed.
"Right now, our hands are kind of tied. If (mosquitoes) are going to be active, they're only going to be active for a short window," she said.
