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By Beth Stibal |

Officials Detect Additional Cases of West Nile Virus in Miami-Dade

Infectious Diseases Oklahoma
FILE – In this Aug. 16, 2012, file photo, mosquitos are sorted at the Dallas County mosquito lab in Dallas. Infectious diseases that used to be unknown in Oklahoma are now a threat to the health of its residents as maladies such as the West Nile virus, chikungunya virus and Heartland virus spread around the globe. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

Miami-Dade County health officials late last week confirmed four more local cases of West Nile virus, bringing the county’s total to 18 residents.

The Miami Herald reports that the county’s mosquito-control chief believes this summer’s resurgence of West Nile most likely reflects the heavy rains that cause mosquito populations to increase.

For that reason, Miami-Dade is now under a mosquito-borne-illness alert.

Officials announced that county’s first two cases of West Nile virus in May, and said both cases in county residents and occurred through local transmission.

On June 11, health officials reported two additional cases, followed by 10 more on June 25.

According to the health department, West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the United States.

There are no vaccines to prevent it or medications to treat it at this time.