The South Dakota Department of Health has reported the state’s first official west nile virus death of the season.
The department reported Friday that a Hamlin County resident within the 80 to 89 age group was the first person in the state to die from the disease this year.
To date this season, South Dakota has reported 39 cases of human west nile virus. Thirty-three percent have had the most serious neruoinvasive disease while 67 percent have had west nile virus fever.
Forty-four percent of the cases have been hospitalized. So far this year, 14 West Nile-associated deaths have been reported nationwide.
