Large Number of West Nile Virus Cases in California
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TrichopCMU/iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — California is seeing increased rates of the West Nile virus, with more than twice as many cases thus far in 2014 as there were in all of 2013.
Thus far this year, there have been at least 238 human cases of West Nile virus, way up from the 2013 total of 117. While the figure is higher than usual, it is far from a state record, set in 2005 when 880 people were infected with the disease.
Eight deaths in the state have been attributed to the virus, which is carried by mosquitoes.
Perhaps even more disquieting, 52 cases of the disease have been reported in the last week.
The California Department of Public Health continues to urge residents to take precautions to minimize their risk of exposure to mosquito bites and West Nile virus. Among the precautions Californians are advised to take are using insect repellant with DEET, avoiding being outdoors during the dawn and dusk hours, and draining any standing water on their property.
Symptoms of the virus include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, coma, convulsions and paralysis, and usually develop three days to two weeks after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
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