..in West Nile Virus cases.


California Passes Arizona As Worst West Nile State

More Human Cases Diagnosed In California

Aug 27, 2004 4:22 pm US/Pacific
LOS ANGELES (AP) Health officials say California has surpassed Arizona as the state with the highest number of human cases of the West Nile virus.

The state Department of Health Services say West Nile virus has been detected in 343 people in Southern and Central California, an increase of nearly 38 percent in a week.

The mosquito-borne illness so far this year has killed ten people in California -- more than any other state in the nation.

Human cases are increasing rapidly in California, which reported a total of 249 on August 20th.

Arizona, the only state where authorities had declared an epidemic because of the virus, had reported 309 cases as of today.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Nile virus has infected at least 843 people and killed 20 nationwide.