First human case of West Nile in Nassau

The first case of West Nile virus in a human in Nassau County this year was reported Tuesday by the county Department of Health.

The unidentified Hempstead resident, who is between 40 and 50 years old, suffered a mild case and has fully recovered, the department said in a statement. The department traps mosquitoes at 42 sites in the county and this year has found 22 samples that tested positive for West Nile in the insects, it said.

The department again advised residents to empty standing water from any receptacles on their property -- in anything from flower pots to garbage cans to children's toys -- where the mosquitoes can breed.

Humans contract the virus through the bite of an infected mosquito. It is potentially fatal with the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.