Two Georgia Men Die From West Nile Virus -
This Makes 14

August 22, 2002
By MIKE MORRIS

State health officials today said there have been six probable human cases of West Nile virus in Georgia, and two people are believed to have died from the mosquito-borne illness.

The probable cases are based on blood samples from a 51-year-old from Atlanta, a 53-year-old man from Covington, a 69-year-old woman from Perry and three men, ages 77, 52 and 46, from Columbus.

The Atlanta man and the 77-year-old man from Columbus have died, according to a news release issued today by the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health.

Specimens for all of the cases have been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and confirmation is expected in about a week.

The announcement came one day after the Covington man was found to have a probable case of West Nile.

"The Newton County Board of Health reports a probable case of West Nile Virus based on laboratory tests conducted late [Wednesday]," said Jacqueline Evans, public affairs director for the East Metro Public Health District, which covers Gwinnett, Rockdale and Newton counties.

Evans said the patient had been hospitalized, but is now at home.

Citing confidentiality rules, Evans would not confirm radio reports that the incident involves Lou Hardwick.

Hardwick's son, David Hardwick, told WSB radio that his father thinks he might have contracted the disease a few weeks ago while doing electrical work in Buckhead.

While the probable cases have occurred in four counties, state health officials said the virus can be found throughout Georgia. So far, the virus has been confirmed in 12 counties.

"West Nile virus arrived in Georgia last year, and there is currently no way to eradicate it, so we expect it to be with us every summer for the foreseeable future," said Kathleen Toomey, director of the DHR's Division of Public Health.

Last August, an elderly woman in Atlanta's Vine City neighorhood died of the virus, which is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes.

http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/metro/0802/22westnile.html