First case of West Nile Virus reported in Albany County in 2012 - NEWS10 ABC: Albany, New York News, Weather, Sports

First case of West Nile Virus reported in Albany County in 2012

Parks like Ann Lee Pond, Pine Bush Preserve and Five Rivers are a haven for mosquitos, but they are also a popular place for recreation, especially on a Holiday weekend, but the fact is the West Nile Virus has reached Albany County.

 "It's a little concerning, something people might be worried about, it's a pretty serious disease," said Alex Ebell.

Ebell jogs through Pine Brush preserve on a daily basis, he said he sees mosquitos all the time, but never really thought much about them, until now.

"It might cross my mind for sure, might throw some bug spray on," said Ebell.

On Friday the Albany County Department of Health confirmed that an adult contracted the virus in Albany County, the first to do so this year.

"I'm very worried about it and in the winter I hope it kills off a lot of the insects and the mosquitos," said Nancy Kern.

Kern is a bird watching enthusiast, but she said she has to be careful, because they share the same environment as the mosquitos.

"When I'm out in an area like this I put a lot of insect repellent on, to keep them away," said Kern.

However, if you're a parent, protecting your child from mosquito bites can be a challenging task, they love to be outside.

"We have tons of mosquitos around here, it's good to be notified. It's good to be precautionary in any way you can, but you can't just keep the kids inside, they'll go crazy, I'll go crazy," said Terrell Mitchell.

As for the person who was diagnosed with West Nile, that person has been released from the hospital and expected to make a full recovery.