The Health Ministry has warned of an outbreak of the West Nile virus in Israel, after four cases were reported in the last two months since March.

One patient was diagnosed as having the virus, while the other three cases were estimated as being the illness but were not diagnosed.

This is not the first time for West Nile virus to make landfall in the Jewish state – back in 2015 a full 149 cases of the virus were reported to the Health Ministry.

The Ministry advises the public to take steps to avoid mosquito bites, as the virus is predominantly transmitted by the insects. It is recommended to report to local authorities regarding a preponderance of mosquitoes and pools of standing water that attract the bugs.

“West Nile virus (WNV) is most commonly transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. You can reduce your risk of being infected with WNV by using insect repellent and wearing protective clothing to prevent mosquito bites,” reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

“There are no medications to treat or vaccines to prevent WNV infection. Fortunately, most people infected with WNV will have no symptoms. About 1 in 5 people who are infected will develop a fever with other symptoms. Less than 1% of infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, neurologic illness.”