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CNN Live Today

West Nile Confirmed in 37 States

Aired August 23, 2002 - 12:26   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In health news now, health officials in New Mexico say they have evidence of West Nile virus in their state. Two horses have tested positive, one of them has died. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not confirmed the cases yet, but the CDC says it has confirmed human and animal cases in 37 states and the District of Columbia. That doesn't include Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico.
CNN Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is here to talk more about these developments here. Boy, this just really is taking off, isn't it, this West Nile?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. I mean, the numbers are just going to keep increasing, and really, the experts aren't surprised by that, Fredricka. You and I have talked about that.

Just to give a little perspective, this Friday -- last Friday, 160 cases, now 296. As you mentioned, Fredricka, there are a lot of cases that are not yet confirmed by the CDC. That process usually takes a week, and it is an important process, because there have been some reports of West Nile virus in various states, which were subsequently seen by the CDC not to actually be West Nile virus. There are other viruses that can cause symptoms that are out there, the numbers are, without doubt, increasing by over 136 cases just in one week.

WHITFIELD: With this new reported case of a horse dying to West Nile, we know and we have talked about it over the course of the past couple weeks, there is a vaccine for horses, not for humans yet. What is the possibility of more horses being vaccinated?

GUPTA: Sure. Yes. Well, the horses can die from West Nile virus. A lot of animals can actually die from West Nile virus, and it is going to be a sort of threat assessment of how bad -- how much of a risk there is to horses, large horse populations, and whether or not large groups of horses will need to be vaccinated.

That is a concern that wildlife organizations are looking into, in the various states, and some states are obviously more at risk than others, but you know, it has happened, I think, before in this country where a horse has died, and I am sure that is something they will have to think about.

WHITFIELD: So what is to be learned from the vaccine for horses that might eventually be applicable to human cases? GUPTA: A lot of people ask me, why don't we have a vaccine for humans, we have one for horses. And I think that -- the numbers are still small in humans. It is scary because the numbers are increasing, but 14 deaths is still a very small number compared to the number of deaths of people who die from the flu or something like that.

But given that the numbers are increasing, there probably will be more focus on a vaccine, a vaccine typically actually taking some of the virus and trying to induce some immunity in people's bodies, and that is something that researchers are already starting to think about.

WHITFIELD: All right. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thank you.

GUPTA: Good seeing you.

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