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CNN Live Saturday

West Nile Virus Claims A Life In Atlanta

Aired August 18, 2001 - 16:03   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.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: In Atlanta today, health officials are stepping up their efforts to calm fears about the West Nile Virus. It comes one day after news that an elderly Atlanta woman died from the virus, the first U.S. fatality this year.

We get the latest from reporter Joyce Oscar of CNN affiliate WSB.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOYCE OSCAR, WSB-REPORTER (voice-over): Here on Lawton Street in southwest Atlanta, workers with the Fulton County Health Department fan out dropping larvacide into storm drains. Officials tell us crews will be out in neighborhoods like this one all over the city, every week until the first freeze.

Jerry Kerce is with the Fulton County Health Department. Kerce says, here is what they are looking for, looking to eradicate.

JERRY KERCE, FULTON CO. HEALTH DEPT.: There are two personal care homes in this neighborhood. We have targeted those areas with the people that are the most vulnerable to this disease. Like I said, there's two in this neighborhood. So we're doing a 300-foot radius. We're putting larvacide in all catch basins and all of the drainage areas where there's standing water.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But if we could take just a few minutes while we are doing our plans to come up with some strategies.

OSCAR: A few miles north in this Vine City neighborhood, this morning redevelopment meeting quickly turned to concerns over the West Nile Virus. The first U.S. death from the West Nile Virus, a 71-year- old woman lived in this neighborhood. Byron Amos says he would like to see more information passed out in this area.

BYRON AMOS, VINE CITY CIVIC ASSOCIATION: I think the city has an obligation, if not more obligation they have an official obligation to do the things that the community cannot fully do on their own.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KELLEY: That report from CNN affiliate WSB in Atlanta. Health officials say that the elderly are most at risk for the West Nile Virus, but infections still are rare. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com