West Nile virus kills San Bernardino County man

A 48-year-old San Bernardino County man has died of West Nile virus, the third death this year in California from the mosquito-borne illness, authorities said today.

The Rialto man, who died Aug. 27, also suffered from preexisting medical conditions, which increased his chances of dying from the virus, officials said. They did not know how the victim, whose name was not released, contracted the virus.

“While the vast majority of people who contract West Nile Virus recover, deaths, however rare, do occur,” Dr. Maxwell Ohikhuare, the health officer for San Bernardino County, said in a statement. “We are saddened at this gentleman’s death and this underscores how serious West Nile virus can be.”

Ohikhuare encouraged residents to try to minimize their exposure to mosquitoes, thereby reducing their chances of becoming infected.

A total of 132 cases of West Nile virus have been reported in California this year, five of them in San Bernardino County. The other two deaths were in Orange County.

In 2007, there were 380 human cases of West Nile virus statewide and 21 deaths. In San Bernardino County, there were five cases last year and no deaths.

There have been 23 reported cases of human West Nile virus this year in Riverside County, 35 in Orange County and 34 in Los Angeles County.

Because the virus is transmitted to humans through a mosquito bite, the San Bernardino County vector control program has placed traps throughout the county and drained standing bodies of water, including neglected pools and ponds.

Measures people can take to reduce their exposure to mosquitoes, officials said, include making sure windows and doors have tight-fitting screens, applying insect repellent to their skin, wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts and draining sources of standing water.

 Amanda.covarrubias@latimes.com