Wetter Weather Beats West Nile

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Oklahoma public health authorities say weather is the likely reason that reports of West Nile virus infections in the state are down sharply this year.

Only nine confirmed cases and no deaths have been reported so far this year. Last year in Oklahoma, there were 107 cases of the mosquito-borne virus. 8 of the cases were fatal.

Last year, Oklahoma had heavy rains and flooding in some areas in June and July, then a drying-out period. That was the right mix of weather ingredients for the worst season of the virus for human illness and death since the virus entered Oklahoma in 2002, Bradley said.

State epidemiologist Dr. Kristy Bradley says that during August this year we experienced a lot of rainfall. And that appeared to suppress the virus spread that normally accelerates in that month.

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