A Fresno man has died of West Nile virus, the second person killed in the state by the disease this year, officials say.
West Nile virus, which is transmitted to humans through a mosquito bite, kills several Californians every year. Health officials announced the first victim of 2019 last month, a 74-year-old man in Imperial County.
Fresno County health officials did not provide information about the person who died. He was identified by the Fresno Bee as Robert Diaz, 78.
Of those who contract West Nile virus, only one in five have any symptoms. But one in 150 who are infected develop a serious illness that can be fatal, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though serious illness can occur in people of any age, it is most likely to affect people over 50.
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