The Change Mariner

Cases of West Nile Soaring

Washington Post:

The United States is headed for another record number of West Nile virus cases this year, with the total rising by more than a third in the past week alone, officials said today.

Nationwide, 4,137 human cases had been reported by today, 19 shy of last year's total of 4,156, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. But one reason is the availability of a new test to diagnose the virus.

Despite the high number of infections, far fewer deaths have occurred. Eighty have been reported; last year, 284 people died from the effects of the virus.