Woman Is State’s First West Nile Virus Death
A woman in her 80s has died of West Nile virus, the first death reported in California this year, officials said Thursday.
The woman, whose name and city of residence were not released, fell ill Aug. 1 and was hospitalized a few days later.
She also had diabetes, which may have contributed to her death, officials said.
So far this year, 58 cases of West Nile virus have been confirmed in California, compared with 174 at this time last year.
Officials urged the public to take precautions against mosquitoes, which carry the virus, including wearing bug repellent, repairing window screens and eliminating standing water, which supports mosquito breeding.
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