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TRENTON
-- The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services announced
today that a 77-year-old Palmyra (Burlington County) man has become
the eighth New Jersey resident infected with West Nile virus.
The
man developed fever, muscle weakness and altered mental status on
September 16 and was admitted to Rancocas Hospital on September
21. On October 2, the man was transferred to a rehabilitation center
where he is recovering. The man reported a history of mosquito bites
while working in his backyard. He does not have a history of recent
blood transfusions or organ transplants.
The
New Jersey Public Health and Environmental Laboratories conducted
testing on patient samples and reported positive results late yesterday.
The
Palmyra man is the second Burlington County resident to test positive
this season. The other cases are from Mercer, Hudson, and Cape May
counties.
"The
number of patients diagnosed with West Nile virus in New Jersey
this year is similar to the numbers reported in recent years, six
cases in 2000 and 12 in 2001," said New Jersey Department of
Health and Senior Services Commissioner Dr. Clifton R. Lacy, M.D.
"County-based mosquito control efforts and residents' use of
appropriate protective measures to reduce the risk of mosquito bites
have resulted in less West Nile virus-related illness than other
parts of the country and no West Nile virus-related deaths.''
Residents
are advised to continue to protect themselves from infection until
the weather changes and frost appears.
For
more information on West Nile virus, visit the state's home page
at www.state.nj.us/health and click
on "West Nile virus.''
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