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© CDC /
James Gathany / Reuters
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The North Carolina
Department of Health and Human Services has reported the first death from West
Nile Virus in the Tarheel State in 2015. The state did not have any previous
cases this year. So
far in 2015, 415 cases of West Nile have been reported to the US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention in 45 states and the District of Columbia. There
were 10 deaths from the mosquito-borne disease in the country as of September
1.
North
Carolina has not released any information about the victim, including age,
gender and location of the person who died.
RT report continues:
"This
is a tragic reminder that these infections, though relatively rare, can be
fatal," Dr. Carl Williams, State Public Health veterinarian, said in a
statement. "We see most cases of mosquito-borne illness in the months from
August through October, but you can still enjoy your time outdoors by following
some basic control measures."
About
1 in 5 people infected with West Nile Virus will develop a fever with other
symptoms. Less than 1 percent of infected people develop a serious, sometimes
fatal, neurologic illness, the CDC said.
To
prevent infection, the CDC recommends wearing insect repellant outdoors;
wearing long pants, long sleeves and socks when possible outdoors; and taking
extra care during peak mosquito biting hours from dusk to dawn.
The
potentially lethal virus has become an annual concern for some states ever
since it was first detected in North America back in 1999. The disease is
carried and transmitted by infected mosquitoes, and can be particularly
dangerous for elderly individuals.
North
Carolina has had 13 cases of West Nile Virus between 2010 and 2014.
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