September 28, 2000 HACKENSACK, N.J. (AP) - The West Nile virus has claimed its first victim in the United States this year, causing the death of an 82-year-old New Jersey man.
Officials did not immediately identify the man, who died on Sept. 14, 11 days after he became ill. They said that he had other ailments but that West Nile virus had been the principal cause of death.
"People shouldn't panic," Gov. Christie Whitman said Wednesday. She urged residents to wear insect repellent and long-sleeved clothes.
It is increasingly unlikely that there will be any more human cases this year since the cooler weather reduces the number of mosquitoes, said Tom Skinner, spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The virus also has been detected in birds in Maryland, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania officials Wednesday said they had found the virus in two dead crows outside Philadelphia.
Last year, seven people died and 55 others were infected in the New York metropolitan area during the first known appearance of the virus in the Western Hemisphere. The virus is typically transmitted by mosquitos.
This year, 13 people have been infected in New York and four in New Jersey, according to the CDC. New York reported its 13th case on Wednesday.
The disease can cause flu-like symptoms and can be dangerous to young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.
Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
