La Mesa man dies from West Nile Virus

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – On Friday, the state confirmed a man from La Mesa died from the West Nile Virus.

The man was 78-years-old confirmed the County Health and Human Services Agency.

The man was admitted to a local hospital on October 6 after experiencing symptoms of encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain that can be caused by viral or bacterial infection. He died on October 10. Testing by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory confirmed today that he had WNV.

This is the first death from WNV in San Diego County since 2007 and the seventh confirmed case this year. Three more individuals in San Diego with suspected WNV infections are currently under investigation. One person was a recent blood donor with no symptoms, and the other two have recovered from mild illnesses.

Only two human cases of WNV were reported in San Diego between 2009 and 2013, with both of those cases occurring in 2012. The highest number of cases occurred in 2008 when 36 were reported in San Diego.