With winter weather on the way, Coloradans are more likely to be thinking about their ski jackets than they are about insect repellent, but as mosquito season draws to a close, public health officials have released some alarming data about the impact these biting bugs have had on the state's human population this year.
According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, 2023 has been one of the deadliest years on record for West Nile Virus, a mosquito-borne illness that can cause a serious brain infection such as meningitis or encephalitis. This year has seen 619 reported infections and 48 deaths as a result, marking the second-deadliest year on record. The state has been reporting on West Nile since 2003, when 66 people died from the virus.
