New Jersey Reports First death related to West Nile Virus Death
September 8, 2012
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Health officials in New Jersey are confirming the first case of a death related to the West Nile virus. Authorities say an elderly Burlington County man died earlier this week after being hospitalized on August 26th.
According to CBS news, the man developed symptoms of fever, weakness, and respiratory distress on August 20th, and was hospitalized nearly a week later. He remained hospitalized till his death. ( https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/09/07/new-jersey-reports-first-west-nile-virus-death-in-burlington-county/ )
This is the first time a West Nile virus-related death has been reported in New Jersey since 2010, when two people died and the state reported 30 confirmed cases.
To date, more than half of the counties in New Jersey have reported at least one confirmed case of West Nile virus. Ocean County has the most confirmed cases in the state, with three.
The elderly and people with a weakened immune system are most at risk of developing serious health complications related to West Nile Virus .
It is recommended that anyone in these two groups should take extra precautions against mosquito bites, such as wearing long-sleeved shirts, using repellent, and eliminating pools of standing water around the home, which are prime breeding grounds for mosquitos.
