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Thursday, July 24, 2008
Woman in Her 80s is Arizona's First West Nile Death of 2008
Associated Press
PHOENIX — State health officials are reporting the first West Nile virus death in Arizona this year.
The Arizona Department of Health Services says tests from a state laboratory indicate that a woman in her 80s living in Maricopa County died from West Nile encephalitis this month.
State officials say the woman's death is a reminder of the importance of protecting oneself against mosquito bites.
Health officials say homeowners need to get rid of standing water, where mosquitoes can breed.
Mosquitoes become infected with the virus when they feed on infected birds and they can then transmit it to humans and animals.
More than 750 Arizonans have been infected with the disease since it first arrived in the state in 2003.
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