The Westchester County officials confirmed the first identified human case of West Nile virus infection in Westchester this year. A 79-year-old woman died of complications due to West Nile virus in a suburban New York.

The Westchester County Medical Examiner's office diagnosed Barbara Zuberec with the mosquito-borne virus after she died Sunday. The official cause of death was a pulmonary thromboembolism, which may have been a consequence of the West Nile virus infection. Elderly people are more likely to develop severe complications, as their immune system is weakened. There is no specific treatment for West Nile. Family members believe an infected mosquito bit Barbara Zuberec in or around their home because she had not traveled very far, but Health Department officials said they found no signs of mosquito breeding activity in the immediate vicinity.

Residents are advised to protect themselves from mosquito bites and get rid of standing water for the next few weeks. The best ways to avoid the disease are to prevent mosquitoes from breeding around your home, therefore avoid any standing waters in the nearby surroundings and to practice personal protection to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. A single source of standing water can produce millions of mosquitoes, which can pose health risks to a large area. People are encouraged to report dead birds to health agencies for testing.

The West Nile situation continues to represent a threat because the weather is still warm and mosquitoes are still active. There is a risk of West Nile virus infection as long as mosquitoes are active.

According to preliminary reports, there were 368 severe cases, with 18 deaths, with Mississippi and California accounting for nearly half of the cases.