Second Iowan dies from West Nile

The Iowa Department of Public Health says a second Iowan has died from the West Nile Virus. A statement from the Health Department says the victim is an elderly Chickasaw County resident, but the person was not identified. The first victim died in August and was an elderly resident of Dickinson County. The Health Department says an elderly female from out-of-state died in the Lee County Hospital from West Nile, but her death will be reported as a case from her home state. The latest death matches the number of deaths from West Nile last year. There were six deaths in 2003 and two in 2002. The Health Department says there are 20 confirmed human cases of West Nile in the state. The mosquito-borne illness has been detected in animals or humans in 39 of Iowa’s 99 counties.