Two more people have tested positive for the West Nile virus in Colorado. They are a 46-year-old man from Prowers County and a 41-year-old man from Weld County.

Both were hospitalized with viral meningitis, but have since been released. The state health department said the men are recovering.

Last week, a Commerce City man was determined to have contracted West Nile virus. He has made a full recovery. Health officials believe he was bitten by a mosquito while on a hunting trip near the Colorado/Nebraska border.

Health officials also offered some good news. It's believed that the mosquito season is over in Colorado. Mosquito bites are the main way West Nile virus is transmitted to humans.

A total of 175 human specimens have been tested for the disease in Colorado.

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West Nile virus Facts

• The West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord) in humans and other animals.

• The virus is named after the West Nile region of Uganda where it was first isolated in1937.

• The virus appeared for the first time in the United States during a 1999 outbreak in New York that killed seven people.

How is the West Nile virus Spread?

• The virus is spread to humans, birds and other animals through the bite of an infected mosquito.

• A mosquito becomes infected by biting a bird that is carrying the virus.

• West Nile virus is not spread from person to person, and no evidence indicates the virus can be spread directly from birds to humans.

• Only a small population of mosquitoes are likely to be infected and most people bitten by an infected mosquito do not become sick.

• 1 in 300 people bitten by an infected mosquito get sick.

• 1 in 100-150 who get sick become seriously ill.

• 3 to 15 percent of those seriously ill die.

Symptoms of the Virus

• The symptoms generally appear about 3 to 6 days after exposure. People over the age of 50 are at a greater risk of severe illness.

• Milder symptoms include: Slight fever, headache, body aches, swollen glands and/or sometimes a skin rash.

• Severe symptoms include: High fever, intense headache, stiff neck, and/or confusion.

Protecting Yourself

• Control mosquitoes from breeding around your home.

• Wear long and light colored clothing.

• Use insect repellent products with no ore than 20-30 percent DEET for adults and less than 10 percent for children.

• Spray repellent on your hands and then apply to your face. Be sure repellent is safe for human skin.

• Wash off repellent daily and reapply as needed.

Source: www.vdh.state.va.us contributed to this report