CDC Confirms 10 More West Nile Deaths -
Nationwide Toll Rises To 64
More than 1,400 infected

September 16, 2002

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Ten more deaths have been linked to the West Nile virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, said Saturday.

The latest confirmed deaths include three in Illinois and four in Michigan. In addition, Mississippi, Missouri, and Nebraska had one each, bringing the number of deaths linked to the virus this year to 64.

Illinois has the most confirmed deaths of any state, with 16 this year.

The CDC's figure of 64 deaths nationwide does not include two deaths in Massachusetts and one in Pennsylvania that health officials in those states reported Friday. The CDC will investigate before confirming that those deaths were linked to the virus.

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More than 1,400 infected

The CDC has confirmed that more than 1,400 people nationwide have been infected with the virus this year. Thousands more have likely been infected, health officials say, but most experience only mild symptoms or none at all.

About one in 150 develops encephalitis or meningitis. Those cases generally involve people with weakened immune systems -- particularly the elderly. In those instances, the virus can prove fatal.

The West Nile virus is carried by mosquitoes. But the CDC has determined it can also be spread through organ transplants.

Health officials believe the virus might also be transmitted through blood transfusions. The CDC is investigating several instances where that might be the case.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill say they're becoming increasingly concerned. The Senate Subcommittee on Public Health is scheduling a hearing with health officials to discuss what's being done to combat the spread of the virus.

Mosquito control units in many states are working to clear out large standing areas of water, such as swamps, in which infected mosquitoes may be breeding. They're also encouraging people to clear small standing areas of water near their homes.

Health officials say people should wear long pants and long sleeves when outside and use bug sprays containing DEET, a chemical that health officials say helps keep mosquitoes away.

http://www.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/conditions/09/16/west.nile/index.html