Long Beach Man Dies Of West Nile Virus
LONG BEACH (CBSLA.com) — A Long Beach man in his mid-70s has died of West Nile virus, the city's first death from the disease, health officials said Thursday.
The man, who was not identified, lived in eastern Long Beach and was hospitalized in August.
Nine human cases of West Nile have been reported in Long Beach this year, up from seven in all of 2013, officials with the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services said. One person died from West Nile in Long Beach last year, but prior to that, the most recent death had been in 2004.
According to the state, there have been eight deaths from West Nile virus so far this season, not including the death of a San Fernando Valley man whose death from the virus was confirmed last week by Los Angeles County health officials.
"The death of a Long Beach resident due to West Nile virus is a sad and sobering reminder of the risk posed by mosquito bites," said Dr. Mitchell Kushner, Long Beach's public health officer. "We need to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites and minimize risk of WNV infection especially at this time of the year when the risk of infection is at its highest."
Health officials say residents should take steps to prevent the spread of the disease, including emptying all standing water that can become breeding grounds for mosquitos, maintaining secure windows and screens, using insect repellent, limiting outdoor activity at dawn and dusk when mosquitos are most active and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants while outside.
Most people who become infected do not feel symptoms, but about 20percent can become feverish and feel headaches, body pain, nausea, fatigue and develop a skin rash. More serious symptoms include severe headaches, neck stiffness, confusion and muscle weakness or paralysis.
(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
