West Nile Virus Epidemic Declared
From Times Wire Reports
Israeli health authorities declared West Nile virus infection an epidemic, saying the mosquito-borne illness has killed 13 people in the nation this summer and infected thousands more. The virus has been in Israel for decades but had not been seen in the Western Hemisphere until last year, when it killed seven people in New York City. Israel is the first country to have declared such an epidemic since the virus spread to the United States. The virus can lead to encephalitis, a swelling of the brain.
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