First West Nile virus death reported in Nevada

An Elko County person over the age of 50 is Nevada's first West Nile virus-related death.

The number of human cases of the mosquito-born virus spiked dramatically this year, a state official said Friday, culminating with Nevada's first West Nile-associated death.

"West Nile virus has been here since 2003 and we haven't had a death until now," said Martha Framsted, Nevada State Health Division spokeswoman.

Eight people in Carson City have been infected with the virus, according to the health division Web site. Carson City had no reported human cases last year.

Other counties have fared worse. Douglas County has reported 18 cases since the start of the season. Lyon has 14. As of Friday, 114 cases have been reported statewide. The count so far this season represents 62 percent of the total number of human cases reported in Nevada since the virus first appeared. Since 2003, there have been 183 Nevadans reported infected with the virus. Last year only 30 cases were reported in the four-month long season.

"This is something we would expect because of the wet weather we had last winter," Framsted said.

"So we'd expect to have more mosquitoes. Many places had an over abundance of water so standing water can equate to more mosquitoes."

The West Nile season typically runs from July to October, depending on the temperature.

The number of equine deaths and reported infections decreased this year. Nineteen equine cases have been reported so far, the majority in Elko County, compared to 48 last year, said Framsted.

"While there's cooler weather, you may think that mosquito season is over. It's not."