West Nile Virus Causes 15 Deaths In U.S. This Year
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Friday, August 17, 2007; Page A08
Fifteen people have died out of the 444 infected with the West Nile Virus in the United States this year, slightly ahead of last year's pace, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
In 136 cases, the virus infected the brain or spinal cord, and 49 people who tried to donate blood were found to be infected, the agency reported yesterday. The report covered cases through Aug. 14.
The number of infections and deaths is running slightly ahead of last year, when there were 13 deaths among the 388 infected at the same point in time, said Jennifer Lehman, a CDC epidemiologist based in Fort Collins, Colo. In all of 2006, there were 4,269 reported cases and 177 deaths, according to the CDC's Web site.
"West Nile virus transmission occurs most intensely during the warmer months of the year, so everyone should take precautions to avoid being bitten by infected mosquitoes" by wearing repellent and reducing outdoor exposure after dusk, when mosquitoes are most active, Lehman said in an e-mail.
Five people have died in California this year and two in South Dakota, as well as one each in eight other states, the agency reported in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Infections were reported from 27 states.
