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LA County sees highest number of West Nile virus cases in nearly a decade
ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos • • health
Key Points:
- Los Angeles County has reported 100 West Nile virus cases this year, the highest number since 2017, with 94 hospitalizations and five deaths, according to the county's Department of Public Health.
- One-third of cases are from East Los Angeles, about a quarter from the San Fernando Valley, and one-fifth from the South Bay region, with most recent illness onset reported on September 4.
- The California Department of Public Health notes this is the highest West Nile virus activity in five years, reflecting a national trend with 671 cases across 42 states reported so far in 2023.
- Rising temperatures have increased mosquito populations, boosting the risk of West Nile virus, which is the leading mosquito-borne disease in the continental U.S., transmitted from infected birds to humans by mosquitoes.
- Symptoms range from mild fever and headache to severe neurological illness in about one in 150 patients, with older adults and those with certain medical conditions at higher risk; many cases go unreported due to mild or absent symptoms.
