Pace of West Nile cases slows, but deaths rise

Sep 4, 2003 (CIDRAP News) – The number of new West Nile virus infection cases decreased in the past week compared with the previous week, but the number of deaths rose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC reports 414 new cases in 22 states in the week of Aug 28 through Sep 3, down from 727 cases in 26 states in the previous week. But 16 deaths were reported, compared with 7 the previous week, according to the CDC figures.

The new cases brought the total number of West Nile cases to 1,856 for the year, with 37 deaths, the CDC reports in the Sep 5 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Colorado still has the most cases overall, with 635, but the state reported no new cases in the past week, according to the CDC. Other hard-hit states are Nebraska, with 280 cases; South Dakota, 250; Wyoming, 164; and Texas, 146. All but 14 states have had at least one human case. The only states that have had no human or animal cases are Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Fatal cases of West Nile have occurred in Nebraska, with 8; Colorado, 6; New Mexico, 4; Wyoming, 4; South Dakota, 3; Texas, 3; Alabama, 2; Iowa, 2; and, with 1 each, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, and Ohio.

CDC. West Nile virus activity—United States, August 28–September 3, 2003. MMWR 2003;52(35):845-6 [Full text]