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(NewsDakota.com) – North Dakota health officials are reporting a large increase in the number of human cases of West Nile Virus this year.

Through Tuesday, 36 confirmed or probable cases had been reported to the North Dakota Department of Health. Two of those cases are in Stutsman County, four are in Barnes County, two are in LaMoure County, and six are in Dickey County according to data on the North Dakota Department of Health web site.

The virus is carried by Mosquitoes. Nineteen people have been hospitalized this year due to the virus. Only four cases of human West Nile were reported in the state last year.

The Health Department is also reporting 12 cases of West Nile in horses, and two bird deaths due to the virus.