CALGARY

AHS reports West Nile death

CTV Calgary Published Friday, October 12, 2012 12:16PM MDT Last Updated Friday, October 12, 2012 1:01PM MDT

This 2006 photo made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a female Aedes aegypti mosquito acquiring a blood meal from a human host at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. (The Canadian Press/AP - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - James Gathany)

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Alberta Health Services says a person in southern Alberta has died from a West Nile virus-related illness.

The health authority is not providing any more details in the death but says it is the first WNv death in the province since 2007.

“Sadly, as we’ve seen in Alberta this year, West Nile virus infection can cause severe illness and even death,” says Dr. Gerry Predy, Senior Medical Officer of Health, AHS.

The AHS says there have been ten human cases of West Nile virus infection reported in Alberta this year.

Seven of those were reported in southern Alberta including the WNv-related death.

The Calgary, Central and North Zones of the province each reported one case.

Human cases of West Nile virus infection, reported in Alberta, 2012:

Zone: South Zone
Cases Reported: Seven
Types of infection: Three (of seven) cases - Non-Neurological Syndrome;
Four (of seven) cases - Neurological Syndrome.
Age Range: Over 20 years of age to over 60 years of age
WNv-related Deaths: One
Zone: Calgary Zone
Cases Reported: One
Type of infection: Non-neurological Syndrome
Age Range: Over 60 years of age
WNv-related Deaths: Zero
Zone: Central Zone
Cases Reported One
Type of Infection: Neurological Syndrome
Age Range: Under 60 years of age
WNv-related Deaths: Zero
Zone: North Zone
Cases Reported: One
Type of infection: Non-Neurological Syndrome
Age Range: Over 60 years of age
WNv-related Deaths: Zero

The Public Health Agency of Canada reported 386 clinical cases of WNv infection in Canada as of September 29, 2012.

Humans can develop West Nile Non-Neurological Syndrome (formerly known as West Nile fever) and occasionally, the more serious West Nile Neurological Syndrome if they are bitten by a mosquito that is carrying the virus.

Non-Neurological Syndrome symptoms include: