3 deaths make state’s West Nile toll 13 this year
Riverside County health officials reported Friday that three deaths since mid-August were related to the West Nile virus.
The deaths bring the total number of California fatalities attributed to the virus to 13 this year.
“While deaths from West Nile virus are rare, this serves as a reminder that adults over age 50 and people with chronic medical conditions are at greater risk of complications,” said Dr. Eric Frykman, a Riverside County health officer.
The most recent reported death was that of a 56-year-old Riverside man last week. Previously, an 83-year-old Corona man and a 74-year-old Coachella Valley woman died this summer after contracting the virus.
Barbara Cole, director of disease control for the Riverside County Department of Public Health, said about one in 150 people with West Nile virus develop serious health problems.
“The individuals who died all had other underlying health problems,” she said.
Humans contract the virus from the bites of infected mosquitoes, which catch it from diseased birds.
Its symptoms can include fever, headache and nausea, and it can occasionally lead to meningitis and death.
Elderly people already suffering from health ailments are most vulnerable to contracting West Nile because of weakened immune systems.
Officials suggest eliminating standing water that can be a breeding habitat for mosquitoes, using insect repellent and checking window screens to reduce the chances of contracting the virus.
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