California yesterday reported its fifth West Nile virus–related death this year, in a man from Placer County in the Central Valley.
There have been 54 confirmed human West Nile virus cases in the state this year, 5 of them in Placer County, where county officials said high numbers of West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes and dead birds have been found. It's the first West Nile virus–related death in the county this year.
Slight risk of neuroinvasive disease
Though the risk of serious illness from West Nile virus is low, less than 1% of those infected can develop a serious illness known as neuroinvasive West Nile, which is fatal for about 10% of patients. People 50 years of age and older have a higher chance of getting sick and are more likely to develop complications.
"When there is a higher than normal proportion of West Nile virus infected mosquitoes as there has been this year, despite our efforts to reduce these populations, the risk of disease transmission to people also gets higher," Joel Buettner, general manager of the Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District, said in a county news release. "West Nile virus can be a deadly disease and we encourage everyone to take precautions to reduce their risk of mosquito bites."
West Nile is the leading mosquito-borne illness in the continental United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has tracked 1,137 cases so far in 2025 in 42 states. Activity is up about 40% from last year.