Although the mosquito season is due to end in October, West Nile virus continues to make victims in Los Angeles County. On Friday, the authorities reported the first case of death caused by the infection. The man was 83 years old and lived in the southern part of the country, but the authorities haven’t released his identity yet.

There have been reported four other deaths in Southern California so far, two of which were in Orange County and one in San Bernardino county. So far this year, 69 people infected with the virus have been reported in Los Angeles County. Of those, 14 showed no symptoms --the virus was detected in blood that they donated.

West Nile virus started to create problems in the US back in 1999 and in California in 2003. Twenty-nine people died and 779 others were infected in California during the year of 2004. In the next two years, the infections declined, but their number increased again last year.

The infection starts with the byte of a mosquito that previously got it by feeding on infected birds or animals such as dogs, bats, horses, and rabbits. The virus cannot be transmitted from birds or animals directly to humans.

Classic symptoms of the infection include fever and headache, body aches and sometimes swollen lymph glands. But there are other serious cases, when the infection turns into a neuroinvasive disease also known as West Nile meningitis that puts patients into a near-coma state. Elderly people were asked to pay more attention, as they are more likely to develop severe complications, as their immune system is weakened.

Jack Austin, a common resident from Duarte, was bitten by a mosquito carrying the West Nile Virus. He managed to recover, but he doesn’t remember how everything happened. He stayed 9 days in hospital in July and 20 days in rehab in August. Austin told the Los Angeles Times that “the virus came on – boom – and it hit me fast.” He now uses a cane to walk but is expected to fully recover.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 413 cases of West Nile virus. Of those, “180 (44%) were reported as West Nile meningitis or encephalitis (neuroinvasive disease), 219 (53%) were reported as West Nile fever (milder disease, and 14 (3%) were clinically unspecified at this time.” The most recent reports about the virus came from Nassau and Clayton County.

So far, this year, the infection has spread 50 percent more than last year. Consequently, health officials have warned people to take adequate precautions in order to reduce the risk of mosquito bites. Eliminating standing water where the insects can breed, staying away from mosquito-infested areas, mending damaged window screens and doors, wearing trousers and long-sleeved shirts or applying mosquito repellant when leaving the house are several steps people can take in preventing West Nile virus. The mosquitoes are more active during the evening and night, so people should avoid outdoor activities during that time.