Two Recent Human West Nile Virus Deaths Reported

Two of the latest human West Nile virus-related deaths (WNV) have been reported in California and Texas, according to Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota and KDFW Fox 4 in Dallas, Texas.

On Oct. 7, CIDRAP said the man was from Placer County in the Central Valley, Calif., area. There have been 54 confirmed human WNV cases in the state this year, five of them in Placer County, where county health officials said high numbers of WNV-positive mosquitoes and dead birds have been found.

The Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) reported the first WNV death in the 2025 season. The news station reported the resident was a male in their 70s with underlying medical conditions and diagnosed with the more serious neuroinvasive form of the disease. To date, DCHHS has found a total of 245 positive traps within Dallas County and reported eight human WNV cases, according to the report.

West Nile virus infections are intense so far this year, with case counts running 40% higher than normal, health officials say.

According to the Associated Press, more than 770 cases, including about 490 severe cases, were reported as of early September, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data posted this week. About 550 cases — 350 of them severe — are usually reported by this time of year.