WNV-Carrying Mosquitoes Still a Threat in the Fall 09/26/08 Summer has ended but mosquitoes are still active. Californians need to continue to use repellent and protect themselves from mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus. The risk of getting West Nile virus is higher in southern California this year than the last few years. Mosquito and vector control agencies throughout the state continue to monitor and control West Nile virus.

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ANNOUNCES FIRST DEATH FROM WEST NILE VIRUS IN 2008 08/25/08 SACRAMENTO - Dr. Mark Horton, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), announced today that West Nile virus (WNV) has claimed the life of an elderly woman in Orange County. She is the first death this year in California from complications associated with the virus.

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As of December 16, 2008, 1,370 human cases had been reported nationwide this year in the following 42 states: Alabama (21), Arizona (109), Arkansas (9), California (411), Colorado (95), Connecticut (8), Delaware (1), Florida (2), Georgia (8), Idaho (33), Illinois (19), Indiana (3), Iowa (10), Kansas (38), Kentucky (3), Louisiana (36), Maryland (14), Michigan (17), Minnesota (21), Mississippi (99), Missouri (19), Montana (5), Nebraska (49), Nevada (16), New Jersey (7), New Mexico (9), New York (44), North Dakota (43), Ohio (20), Oklahoma (7), Oregon (16), Pennsylvania (14), Rhode Island (1), South Dakota (39), Tennessee (17), Texas (62), Utah (26), Virginia (1), Washington (2), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (7), and Wyoming (8). Of the 1,370 individuals, 640 (47%) had neuroinvasive illness. As of December 16, 37 fatalities had been reported in Arizona (5), California (13), Colorado (1), Idaho (1), Iowa (1), Illinois (1), Mississippi (3), Missouri (1), New Jersey (1), New York (6), Ohio (1), Pennsylvania (1), Texas (1), and Wisconsin (1). At this time last year, 3,404 human cases had been reported nationwide.