Amid a heat wave that could make West Nile virus more likely to spread, the number of people infected with the disease in Los Angeles County continued to climb this week. At least 230 people in L.A. County have fallen sick with West Nile this year, and 17 of them have died, health officials said Friday. “West Nile virus is a risk in all areas of the county.”Though most people who get West Nile don’t have any symptoms, one out of every 150 people infected develops serious problems that can include meningitis (swelling of the brain), vision loss, coma and weeks-long or even permanent paralysis. “I think it’s really scary, and I don’t think people know that we’re at such an epidemic level.”Across California, more than 430 people have fallen sick with West Nile virus, and 24 have died this year. Until it gets too cold for the mosquitoes, West Nile season won’t end, he said.

Source: Los Angeles Times October 27, 2017 22:30 UTC