Posted on 11/27/2001 9:08:36 PM PST by Freedom of Speech Wins
Friday November 16 2:53 PM ET
Ala. Man Dies From West Nile Virus
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - A 44-year-old man has become the first person in Alabama to die from the West Nile virus (news - web sites), state health officials said Friday.
The man, who was not identified, died Oct. 30 after becoming infected in late August, state veterinarian Bill Johnston said.
The man is the fifth person in the nation to die from the mosquito-borne virus this year, following a a 70-year-old man in Massachusetts, a 45-year-old man in New Jersey, a 71-year-old woman in Georgia and a Connecticut woman in her 90s.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - web sites) didn't confirm the Alabama case until Thursday because of a backlog caused by the anthrax investigation, Johnston said.
West Nile, first detected in the Western Hemisphere in 1999, is spread by mosquitoes that become infected when they feed on infected birds. It causes flu-like symptoms in the mildest cases.
-
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.