West Nile Virus claims more deaths in California
Pastor Dale Morgan
West Nile Virus claims more deaths in California*
2008-08-29
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- West Nile virus killed a
64-year-old man, the second confirmed death in California this year,
health officials said on Thursday.
The man died this month after being hospitalized for West Nile
virus-related symptoms, and his death followed that of a 72-year-old
woman who also died this month, officials said.
Both the two victims were from Orange County near Los Angeles.
Until this month, Orange County had not had a West Nile
virus-related death since 2004.
Both the man and the woman had the more serious neuroinvasive form
of the disease, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency (HAC).
As of Thursday, the number of confirmed symptomatic cases of West
Nile virus infection in Orange County is 32, and four donors have tested
positive for the virus but had no symptoms, said Deanne Thompson of the
agency.
Some patients remain hospitalized, she said.
Of the 32 symptomatic cases, 26 involved the more serious
neuroinvasive form that can lead to meningitis, encephalitis and an
illness similar to polio that includes paralysis, but those latter cases
are rare, according to the HCA.
Health officials have warned that the risk of contracting West Nile
virus from mosquito bites is the highest it has been in four years.