One additional death, seven new cases of West Nile virus in state

<br>(Oklahoma City-AP) -- A second Oklahoman has died of the West Nile virus and seven new human cases of the virus have been reported. <br><br>The state Health Department says a 78-year-old Oklahoma County

Thursday, October 31st 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- A second Oklahoman has died of the West Nile virus and seven new human cases of the virus have been reported.

The state Health Department says a 78-year-old Oklahoma County woman died last week after developing symptoms of encephalitis.

A 71-year-old Tulsa County man died in a Texas hospital last month after developing West Nile encephalitis. Health officials are still trying to determine if the man acquired the virus through a blood transfusion.

The seven new human cases are six Oklahomans and a New Mexico resident who was exposed to the disease while in Oklahoma.

There have now been 15 human cases of West Nile disease in the state.

There have been 733 cases of West Nile found in horses in each of the state's 77 counties. More than 400 birds in 35 counties have tested positive for the disease.