West Nile Virus in South Jersey

An 89-year-old Burlington City man who died in August tested positive for West Nile virus, bringing the number of human cases in New Jersey this year to seven, officials said Wednesday.

It's unclear whether the infection contributed to the man's death Aug. 13, said state Health Commissioner Clifton Lacy.

The man, whose name was not released, underwent blood tests because he suffered fever and mental confusion, Lacy said.

The cause of death was listed as pneumonia.

The virus was detected in the man's blood on Aug. 29 by the New Jersey Public Health and Environmental Laboratory. Further testing by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the virus Sept. 16.

The mosquito-borne disease, which has spread from the Northeast to other parts of the country, causes flulike symptoms and can be fatal to elderly and very young people and those with weakened immune systems.

New Jersey is in its fifth West Nile virus season. There have not been any reported deaths from the infection this year.

There were 25 confirmed cases in New Jersey last year, more than double 2001, when 12 people were infected and one person died. There were six cases and one death in 2000, but no human cases the year before.

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: NBC10/AP