Nashville resident dies from West Nile virus infection

Metro Public Health Department officials have confirmed the first Davidson County West Nile virus death this year.

The victim, a 70-year-old man who also had underlying medical conditions, according to authorities, was reported last week [1] as Metro’s first human case involving the virus infection in 2012.

Davidson County cases of the virus have been rare in the past with no human cases reported in 2009, 2010 and 2011, and a total of only seven cases over the past 10 years, according to the Health Department.

Health spokesman Brian Todd, who has worked with the department for 16 years, couldn’t recall any other confirmed West Nile virus death in Metro and said state officials have told him there at least hasn’t been any recorded in the state database, which dates back to 2003.

Todd said he was still working to confirm whether or not there had been another recorded Metro death associated with the virus.

So far this year, Health Department workers have confirmed finding the virus in batches of mosquitoes in Antioch, Goodlettsville, Hermitage, Madison, North Nashville and South Nashville.

Officials say the risk of infection should die off with the mosquitoes following the first frost of the season.