West Nile cases may keep climbing

PROVO — Utah's mosquito season is winding down, but local health officials say the number of human cases of West Nile virus will continue to climb.

So far this year, 134 Utahns have tested positive for the mosquito-borne virus, including 61 from Utah County, said Dr. Joseph Miner, executive director of the county health department.

Miner said he expects the state's total to at least hit 175 — and possibly reach 200 — by the time all of the cases are counted for 2006.

"That's definitely our worst summer," he said Monday during a meeting of the Utah County Board of Health.

But it could have been much worse, said Bob Mower, Utah County mosquito abatement director. A higher percentage of mosquitos were carrying the virus this year, and the first batch to test positive was found June 12 — more than a month earlier than in 2005.

Utah County, which had 15 cases of West Nile virus last year, increased its mosquito-abatement efforts for '06 and successfully reduced its mosquito population by about 50 percent from the previous year, Mower said.

It's a good thing, he said, since about 20 percent of the night-biting species of mosquito was infected in Utah County.

"We had potential to be well over 200 cases in Utah County," Mower said. "It's still been a pretty good year for us."

Miner credits Mower and the increased mosquito abatement efforts for preventing West Nile from reaching that potential in Utah County.

"Our mosquito control has been excellent," he said.

Two of the four Utahns who have died of West Nile virus this year were from Utah County. The other men were from Carbon and Weber counties, Miner said, and all four were over age 65.

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