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| | Four Arkansans test positive for West Nile virus
Friday, Oct 8, 2004 Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - Four Arkansas residents tested positive for the mosquito-borne West Nile virus, the state Department of Health reported Thursday, bringing the total number of human cases in Arkansas this year to 19. The Health Department said that positive test results were reported in Pulaski, Desha, Scott and Union counties. To date, four people have tested positive in Pulaski County, two people in Jefferson and Union counties, and one each in Chicot, Craighead, Desha, Izard, Greene, Lonoke, Nevada, Ouachita, Pope, Scott and Sebastian counties. No Arkansas deaths have been attributed to the virus this year. Last year, Arkansas had 26 human cases of the virus. There were 45 cases and five deaths in 2002. Citing new federal privacy regulations, the department has not released any information about the patients who have tested positive. The West Nile virus generally is transmitted by infected mosquitoes to humans, horses and other animals after feeding on diseased birds, which are the host animals. The chance of getting the virus is minuscule, said Pat Harris, an epidemiologist and coordinator for the department's West Nile virus program. Fewer than 1 percent of people bitten by an infected mosquito develop severe illness. |
