BISMARCK -- The person who has died of West Nile virus in North Dakota is a man more than 60 years old from the southeast part of the state, health officials said Wednesday.
He had underlying medical conditions, they said
They also warned that the percentage of Culex Tarsalis mosquitoes in the state -- the ones that carry the virus -- is increasing. Everyone is at risk and needs to take steps to protect themselves from mosquito bites, they said.
They can't be more specific about the victim due to confidentiality laws, said Michelle Feist, the West Nile virus surveillance coordinator for the state Health Department. She and other officials who spoke Wednesday would not say what day the man died nor release more specifics as to his address or age.
"Our prayers go out to the family," said Dr. Craig Lambrecht, chief field medical officer for the department.
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The victim is one of 25 human West Nile virus cases in North Dakota, from 13 counties. Several have been hospitalized and "some of these people started getting sick in June," Feist said. Four of the 25 developed encephalitis, when the brain tissue is infected, or meningitis, when the lining around the brain is infected, Feist said.
And the Culex "is fairly resourceful" at finding even the smallest puddles of water in which to hatch offspring, warned Tracy Miller, the West Nile virus program manager. She said it can be as small as a puddle that collects on the ground below a dripping window air conditioner. It does not need rainy weather to breed, she said.
Empty wading pools and bird baths at least every five days, Miller said. Keep your grass mowed so mosquitoes have less shade to hide in. And don't wait until the mosquitoes are bothering you to put on repellent; put it on every time you go out. Many West Nile patients don't remember being bitten, health officials said.
Lambrecht said the hot weather recently is complicating the diagnosis of West Nile virus cases because some of the symptoms are the same as heat exhaustion: fatigue, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting. But additional hallmarks may accompany West Nile, including bad headaches, seizures and numbness.
West Nile is still rare, he said.
"The risk of getting it is very low, but if you get it, you can get very sick," he said.
The people most susceptible to a bad case of the disease are over 50 and have another medical condition, the Health Department officials said. And many people who get the virus have mild symptoms and don't know they've had it.
But it can bring down younger people, too.
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"There are a lot of young people who get West Nile virus and they take months and months to recuperate," Lambrecht said.
The human West Nile cases have been in Burleigh with five; Cass, six; Dickey, Morton and Stutsman with two each and one each in Griggs, LaMoure, Mountrail, Nelson, Ransom, Stark, Traill and Walsh.
The Health Department has tested 10 dead birds for the virus, of which seven were positive. The virus is spread by mosquitoes that have bitten infected birds.
Cole works for Forum Communications Co., which owns The Jamestown Sun
