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CNN Saturday Morning News

West Nile Virus Claims the Life of an Atlanta Woman

Aired August 18, 2001 - 09:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: For the first time this year, the West Nile virus has claimed a human life in the United States. Health officials confirmed yesterday that an Atlanta woman who died earlier this month had the virus.

Richard Elliott (ph) of our affiliate station WSV has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAYOR BILL CAMPBELL, ATLANTA, GEORGIA: And there are things that can and should be done on a...

RICHARD ELLIOTT, REPORTER, WSV (voice-over): The city of Atlanta and Fulton County will wage an even more aggressive campaign to get rid of mosquitoes, especially the ones that may be carrying the West Nile virus.

CAMPBELL: We'll be assisting in the placing of larvacide in catch basins in the downtown area, and we will continue to be supportive in every way that's requested of it.

ELLIOTT: The news that an elderly Atlanta woman died from West Nile prompted Mayor Campbell to call New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani for help. New York has had its own problems with West Nile for two years.

CAMPBELL: He indicated that the protocol that we are following here is the same that they followed in New York City, where they had a number of deaths there as well.

ELLIOTT: Health officials, while playing down the danger of the virus, do believe the area will see more positive cases of West Nile before too long.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that the experience of New York, or with New York and Pennsylvania over the past two years suggests that we will probably see other positive cases somewhere down the line. I couldn't tell you whether it would be next month or next mosquito season.

ELLIOTT: And Dr. Trautman (ph) believes now that it's here, West Nile is here to stay.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now that the virus is in our area, it's going to be here. It's part of the -- you know, it's part of the disease profile of the state of Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: That was reporter Richard Elliott (ph) of our affiliate station WSV here in Atlanta.

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