West Nile Deaths, Cases Outpacing 2003

2004 West Nile Epidemic Picking Up Speed

By Daniel J. DeNoon
WebMD Health News

July 29, 2004 -- The 2004 West Nile virus epidemic is picking up speed -- right on schedule.

As of July 27, the CDC reports six deaths from West Nile virus and 265 cases of it -- 83 of them in the last week. The reports come from 18 states, but the focal point of this year's epidemic is Arizona. More than 60% of cases come from that state, according to the July 30 issue of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Last year, the CDC reported no West Nile deaths and only 44 West Nile illnesses as of July 30, 2003. But only a week later, things picked up dramatically. By Aug. 6, 2003, there had been four deaths and 153 cases.

The final count for 2003: 264 deaths and 9,862 cases of people who fell ill -- including 2,866 cases of West Nile virus infection of the brain or nervous system. Some of these latter cases included a polio-like disease that has left patients with what seems to be permanent nerve damage.

After Arizona, this year's hardest-hit states seem to be California, with 42 cases, and Colorado, with 30 cases. In previous years, states hard hit by West Nile virus tended to have fewer cases in subsequent years. However, Colorado seems to be picking up right where it left off. That state last year led the nation with nearly 3,000 cases.

This year's early numbers can't predict whether we'll see a bigger West Nile epidemic than last year. Of great concern is the fact that California, with its huge population, was relatively untouched by the virus in previous years. Now that the virus is making its westward march, public health experts are keeping a worried eye on the Golden State.

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