Description of the situation
As of 11 October 2002, the WHO Collaborating Centre for Arthropod Borne Viruses - Western Hemisphere, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 2 946 human cases of the West Nile virus, with 160 deaths occurring in 35 states and the District of Columbia. During 2002, West Nile virus activity (evidence of infections in birds, humans, mosquitoes, and other animals - primarily horses) has been documented in 43 states and the District of Columbia (see previous report).