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Kansas health officials are tracking six West Nile virus cases this year, five of which are severe neuroinvasive cases. Three were reported in north-central Kansas and three in south-central. While numbers remain below last year’s 64 cases and four deaths, officials warn risk will rise as mosquito activity peaks in late summer.

West Nile virus spreads through bites from infected mosquitoes, with peak cases usually in August and early September. Symptoms can range from flu-like illness to severe complications such as high fever, disorientation, paralysis, or coma. There are no specific treatments, though most people recover and gain lasting immunity.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment updates a West Nile dashboard weekly during mosquito season, and the CDC notes about 2,000 U.S. cases occur each year, though many go unreported. Health officials urge Kansans to protect themselves with insect repellent, long clothing, and by removing standing water near homes.