(Sept 17, 2004) -- As of Sept. 17 at 10:40 a.m., LB's Dept. of Health & Human Services advises that LB has had nine confirmed human cases of the mosquito-borne West Nile Virus (WNV) in 2004...an increase of two confirmed cases since Sept. 1. LB's total includes one death, an elderly ELB woman on Aug. 9.

Statewide, as of Sept. 17 at 10:40 a.m., 558 cases have been confirmed with 15 deaths.

The CA Dept. of Health Services reports fifty-four WNV cases statewide were first detected in asymptomatic individuals through screening done at blood banks - six later became symptomatic. Of the 510 WNV cases with symptoms, 181 are classified as West Nile fever cases, 172 are classified as West Nile neuroinvasive disease, and 157 are of unknown status.

WNV produces no clinical symptoms in roughly 80% of people bitten by infected mosquitoes, but causes flu-like symptoms in about 20%. It can lead to encephalitis (brain swelling) or meningitis in about 1 in 150 people bitten by WNV infected mosquitoes. There is no cure, only supportive therapies which include hospitalization in serious cases.