Calif. West Nile deaths highest in nearly a decade
By Rebecca Plevin, KPCC
While much of the nation has been focused on Ebola recently, hundreds of Californians have been contracting another virus: West Nile.
There have been 752 cases of West Nile Virus reported in California so far this year. That’s more than three times the average number of annual cases over the past five years.
California has recorded 27 West Nile-related deaths so far this year — about 3.5 percent of all cases. The state hasn’t seen that many fatalities from the virus since 2004, when 29 people died of the disease.
El Dorado County has had to birds test positive for West Nile — both on the West Slope — but no people.
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