Week 37

WEEKLY UPDATE Human Cases A total of 39 new cases of West Nile virus (WNV) were reported this week from the following 17 counties: Butte (2), Colusa (1), Contra Costa (1), Fresno (3), Glenn (2), Kern (5), Los Angeles (5), Madera (1), Merced (2), Orange (3), Placer (2), Riverside (1), Sacramento (3), San Joaquin (2), Solano (1), Sutter (4), and Tehama (1). These are the first human cases reported from Colusa, Contra Costa, Glenn, Madera, Solano, and Tehama counties this year. As of September 13, 2012, a total of 114 human cases of WNV illness have been reported in 23 counties. Of the 114 cases, 70 (61%) had neuroinvasive illness. The median age of the 114 individuals is 58 years (range: 2-88 years); 71 (62%) are male. Dates of symptom onset for all cases ranged from May 23-September 3, 2012. Six WNV-related fatalities have been reported to date in Fresno (1), Kern (1), Merced (1), Placer (1), and Sacramento (2) counties. A total of 26 WNV-positive blood donors have been reported this year; 5 individuals developed symptoms and were reclassified as cases. At this time last year, 48 WNV cases had been reported from 12 counties.