State Officials: 2nd Person In 2015 Dies Of West Nile Virus

BOSTON (AP) — State public health officials say a woman has died of West Nile virus, the second fatality this year.

The Department of Public Health said Thursday it was the sixth human case of West Nile virus in Massachusetts this year. The woman was not identified, but officials say she was a Suffolk County resident in her 90s who likely contracted the virus in the Suffolk County area.

She was hospitalized due to the severity of the illness.

Officials say there is no elevation of risk of West Nile virus as a consequence. The risk level for Boston, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop is already classified as "high."

State Public Health Veterinarian Catherine Brown says that even as cooler temperatures approach, Massachusetts is still in "peak season" for possible West Nile virus infection.

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