West Nile virus death toll in US jumps by a third

[xchrom]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19494613


The virus is transmitted to humans through mosquitoes that have bitten infected birds


The death toll from US cases of West Nile virus, which has killed scores of people, has risen by nearly a third in a week, according to health officials.

Eighty-seven people have now died from the mosquito-borne illness, up from 66 the week before, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The number of cases in 2012 has meanwhile risen by a quarter in the last week, to 1,993 from 1,590.

It is the largest outbreak since the virus first appeared in the US in 1999.

[PuppyBismark]

1. But, the queen's horse can get a vaccine against West Nile

For 10 years there has been a vaccine to inoculate horses, but the profit is not there for the drug companies to develop one for humans.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

2. actual cases are 10,000 per week then, since 80% of infected never have symptoms

200,000 people in the US are hospitalized every year for complications of flu. deaths from flu are 3000 to 49000 per year.

just some comparison numbers to chew on..