We've had a late start to the West Nile virus season partially because of the unseasonably cool spring.

I think the smart money would say we're going to have another heavy season of West Nile virus this summer because of the wet spring, (which means) a lot of mosquitoes,

The North American West Nile virus epidemic persists.

There were 284 deaths from West Nile virus last year, (but) 30,000 deaths from pneumonia and influenza, and those are diseases that we can immunize against, ... So this is still a quite rare condition and not something that people should be overly concerned about.

These deaths are an unfortunate reminder that West Nile virus can be a serious health threat, although death is extremely rare.

The mosquitoes become infected, and you can create a reservoir of West Nile virus in that local region, ... That's why it makes absolute sense to target that area, even if the bird came from a far northerly section, as it probably did.