West Nile Virus Update — 9/20

Editor's note: Outbreaks of West Nile virus continue throughout North America. Here's a look at recent activity from the CDC and various news sources.

WNV ACTIVITY MAP. CLICK HERE to view a map of West Nile virus activity in the United States reported to CDC as of September 19, 2006.

MICHIGAN
Two Detroit residents have died from the West Nile virus — the first deaths in Michigan from the mosquito-borne illness this season, health officials said Tuesday. They warned residents to continue to be vigilant when it comes to the insects.

The victims were a 66-year-old woman, who died Sept. 1, and a 68-year-old man, who died Sept. 6.

Detroit health officials were continuing to investigate whether the victims had underlying health problems that contributed to their deaths, said Don Hamel, a manager in the city's Environmental Health Services Department..

Source:www.detnews.com

ONTARIO, Canada
The Algoma Health Unit would like to notify the residents of Algoma that we have received notification of our first lab confirmed human case of West Nile virus (WNv) this season.

In 2005 there were 101 human cases in the province of Ontario. This year cases have already been reported from Sudbury, North Bay and Northwestern health units.

Source: www.soonews.ca

ILLINOIS
West Nile virus was implicated in the deaths of two people in DuPage County, the Illinois Department of Public Health confirmed on Tuesday. The deaths take the total toll to eight in the state this year.

Source:www.earthtimes.org

LOUISIANA
Six New Orleans area residents were among the 19 Louisianians whose West Nile virus infections were announced Tuesday by the state health department, bringing this year's total to 121.

The state Department of Health and Hospitals has reported no deaths this year from complications of infection by the mosquito-borne virus.

In the New Orleans area, the state logged four infections in St. Tammany Parish and one each in Jefferson and Orleans parishes. With 29 cases so far, St. Tammany has recorded more than any other parish.

The other parishes reporting infections Wednesday were Ascension and Ouachita, with two each, and nine parishes that had one apiece: Lafayette, Calcasieu, Avoyelles, Rapides, East Baton Rouge, DeSoto, Webster, Bossier and Tangipahoa..

Source: www.nola.com

CALIFORNIA
An 84-year-old Concord man who contracted the West Nile virus has died, and authorities are investigating whether his death was the direct result of the virus.

The man, whose name was not released, contracted West Nile on Sept. 1, said Contra Costa County health services spokeswoman Julie Freestone.

He is the second person in Contra Costa County to die after contracting the virus. The death of an 85-year-old Concord woman last month. The first such death in the Bay Area -- was confirmed to have resulted from West Nile, Freestone said.

Five other people in the county have contracted West Nile since July, Freestone said..

Source: SFgate.com