The virus is typically transmitted to people by mosquitoes that pick it up first in the blood of infected birds. The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District announced Friday that it had found the virus in a dead crow in Minneapolis.
No humans have been infected yet in Minnesota. But the finding probably means the virus will turn up more commonly now that hot weather has taken hold, said Mike McLean, the district's spokesman. "The table's kind of set," McLean said. "How bad it gets from here on out really depends on weather conditions. Hot, dry weather will keep it circulating and amplify it in the bird population.
"If you're out there this weekend -- this is peak outdoor time -- wear the bug repellent and try to keep yourself from getting bitten," McLean added. West Nile virus has been present in Minnesota since 2002. It can lead to encephalitis, or brain inflammation, in people. Eight Minnesotans picked up the virus in 2010. None died.
The district also encourages people to reduce their risk of being bitten by a virus-carrying mosquito by wearing long-sleeved, loose and light-colored clothes, making sure screens are tight and dumping out any standing water.
BILL MCAULIFFE