West Nile virus season ends, Respiratory illness season begins

Residents can view local illness data on the What’s Going Around webpage. This webpage provides relevant disease trends and prevention tips.

Summary of 2023 trends for West Nile virus

Active surveillance is winding down for West Nile virus due to colder temperatures.

“We provided updates for West Nile virus over the summer and early this fall. We traditionally see a peak of cases in September. This year was no different,” stated Mesa County Public Health epidemiologist, Kathleen Satterfield. “We had 16 reported cases this year, the highest recorded count of West Nile cases in over a decade. This includes 12 hospitalizations.” Mesa County had the highest number of West Nile virus cases among counties in the region.

You can view the summary of this year’s West Nile data on the What’s Going Around webpage.

Viral respiratory disease data begins

COVID-19, flu, and RSV are respiratory illnesses that cause hospitalizations in Mesa County every year. We typically see the most activity from October through March. Your local epidemiologists will update Mesa County hospitalization numbers for these three viruses. Look for updates every week on Tuesdays until the end of March 2024. 

You can also view flu trends from past years on the What’s Going Around webpage.

Continue to encourage prevention 

“COVID-19 taught us the importance of protecting our coworkers, grandparents, and anyone with compromised immune systems. Let’s use the lessons we learned to help us through the upcoming respiratory illness season,” encouraged Satterfield.

Prevention actions protect you and those around you from the worst outcomes of these viral respiratory diseases. 

• Stay home when you are sick.
• Wash your hands frequently.
• Disinfect surfaces you frequently touch at home and work – like door knobs and light switches.
• Stay up to date on vaccines.

If you have questions about vaccine availability and scheduling contact Mesa County Public Health Info Line, 970-248-6900.