By Staff
September 28, 2002
West Nile Virus has claimed the life of a Lee County resident, raising Mississippi's death toll from the mosquito-borne disease to eight.
The Mississippi State Department of Health reported the death Friday night as one of six new cases identified in people. The death was the first human case reported in Lee County.
Other counties with new cases reported Friday were Grenada with two and Jones, Monroe and Claiborne with one each.
The eight Mississippi residents who have died from West Nile virus have ranged in ages 48 to 84.
A total of 163 people have been identified with the virus in Mississippi since July 19, ranging in ages 2 to 97.
The health department is asking residents to make a special effort to eliminate all standing water this week following heavy rains from Tropical Storm Isidore. Mosquitoes breed in standing water.
Steve Gillespie