West Nile virus takes life of first victim in two years

BY BRYAN DEAN
NewsOK

WAURIKA - The West Nile virus has claimed its first state victim in two years - an elderly Jefferson County man who had other health problems, officials said.

The man's name and age were not released.

The death is an anomaly in an otherwise mild year for West Nile virus, state health officials said. Oklahoma has had only five cases of West Nile virus this year, the lowest number since the disease first appeared in the state in 2002. In 2007, there were 107 cases and eight deaths attributed to the virus.

After the peak of West Nile in 2007, the number of cases dropped to nine last year, with no deaths...

The disease most often spreads as mosquitoes pick it up from infected birds and pass it to people. But a high mosquito population isn't the only factor. Weather and taking preventative measures such as wearing insect repellent seems to play a role. Health officials aren't sure how much each factor plays into the spread...

"It's a virus, just like influenza, so there is no specific treatment," Burnsed said. "It's just managing the symptoms. You would want to do the same things, get plenty of rest and drink plenty of fluids."

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