The virus occurs naturally in mosquitoes that live in northern U.S. states and southern Canadian provinces, Rossi said. In Maine, the virus is most commonly transmitted by “snow thaw mosquitoes,” which congregate around the first melting snow each spring, Porter said. Overall, several species of mosquitoes transmit the virus, but the number of people infected by mosquito bites is “incredibly small,” Rossi said.
In New York state, researchers found that the prevalence of Jamestown Canyon virus in mosquitoes was “Significantly largerCompared to 2001-2011, from 2012 to 2022,
“You don’t hear much about” the virus infecting humans, Rossi said, “but the Jamestown Canyon virus is so vague, it always shows up in mosquito tests if you look for it.”
People with the virus may not show any symptoms, but if they do, they may experience vomiting, neck stiffness, loss of coordination and, in severe cases, brain swelling and meningitis, according to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.