3 More Cases of West Nile in Jersey

New Jersey state health officials have confirmed three more cases of West Nile virus, bringing the number of cases reported this year to 10, officials said Friday.

The eighth human case is a 22-year-old Monmouth County man, who reported symptoms including a headache, fever and muscle weakness and was hospitalized Sept. 8.

The ninth human case is a 74-year-old Union County man who reported similar symptoms and was sent to a hospital Sept. 9.

The 10th victim is a 41-year-old Gloucester County woman who was found to have the virus after she donated blood. She was not hospitalized and has fully recovered.

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 season. While there have not been any deaths directly blamed on the infection this year, an 89-year-old Burlington City man who died in August tested positive for the virus. It is not clear whether the infection contributed to the man's death, health officials said.

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.

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Author: NBC 10/AP