Quantcast

'Alarming Increase' in West Nile Cases - Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand Forks

'Alarming Increase' in West Nile Cases

Posted: Updated:

(AP) - U.S. health officials say there's been an alarming increase in the number of West Nile cases.

So far there have been more than 1,100 cases reported through the middle of August. That's three times as many as usually seen at this point in the year. About half the cases are in Texas. Most West Nile infections are reported in August and September.

So far 41 people have been confirmed dead from West Nile Virus, including a Minnesota woman.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the new numbers Wednesday. They say the mild winter, early spring and very hot summer have fostered breeding of the mosquitoes. Mosquitoes pick up the virus from birds and then spread it to people.

"The number of West Nile cases in people has risen dramatically in the last few weeks and indicates that we are in one of the biggest West Nile virus outbreaks we have ever seen in this country," says Lyle Petersen, director of the Division of Vector borne diseases at CDC.

West Nile virus was first reported in the United States in 1999.

 

 
Powered by WorldNow
Powered by WorldNowAll content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and Valley News Live. All Rights Reserved.
For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.