2003 PRESS RELEASES:

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September 29, 2003
Wyoming Department of Health officials link eighth death in state to West Nile virus; Number identified with exposure to disease at 345.

CHEYENNE -- State Health Officer, Dr. Brent Sherard, said today that the state public health laboratory had confirmed Wyoming's eighth death linked to West Nile virus in an elderly man from Laramie County. This is the first Laramie County death attributable to the virus.{more}

September 23, 2003
Wyoming Department of Health officials report 337 people identified with exposure to West Nile virus.

CHEYENNE -- State health officials today said 337 people have been identified with exposure to West Nile virus in Wyoming this year. With the emergence of only 27 cases in the last week and no new deaths indications are the infection rate may be slowing, said State Health Officer, Dr. Brent Sherard.{more}

September 16, 2003
Wyoming Department of Health officials link seventh death in state to West Nile virus; Number identified with exposure to disease at 310.

CHEYENNE -- State Health Officer, Dr. Brent Sherard, said today that the state public health laboratory had confirmed Wyoming's seventh death linked to West Nile virus in an elderly woman from Goshen County.{more}

September 15, 2003
Wyoming Department of Health officials link sixth death in state to West Nile virus; Number identified with exposure to disease at 307.

CHEYENNE -- State Health Officer, Dr. Brent Sherard, said today that the state public health laboratory had confirmed Wyoming's sixth death linked to West Nile virus in an elderly man from Goshen County.{more}

September 12, 2003
Wyoming Department of Health identifies fifth West Nile virus death; Number identified with exposure to disease at 293.

CHEYENNE -- State Health Officer, Dr. Brent Sherard, said today that the state public health laboratory had confirmed Wyoming's fifth death linked to West Nile virus in an elderly woman from Fremont County.{more}

September 11, 2003
Number identified with West Nile virus infection rises to 275; Wyoming Department of Health public health laboratory tests 1,118 samples this year.

CHEYENNE -- State health officials said today that the number of Wyoming citizens positively identified with West Nile virus infection has risen to 275. The ages range from 2- to 99-years old and the median age is 47.{more}

September 8, 2003
Number identified with West Nile virus infection rises to 252; Wyoming Department of Health public health laboratory tests 944 samples this year.

CHEYENNE -- State health officials said today that the number of Wyoming citizens positively identified with West Nile virus infection has risen to 252. The ages range from 2- to 99-years old and the median age is 47.{more}

September 3, 2003
Wyoming Department of Health identifies fourth West Nile virus death; Number identified with exposure to disease at 198.

CHEYENNE -- State Health Officer, Dr. Brent Sherard, said today that the state public health laboratory had confirmed Wyoming's fourth death linked to West Nile virus in an elderly woman from Goshen County. {more}

September 2, 2003
Wyoming Department of Health links third death to West Nile virus; Number identified with exposure to disease at 187.

CHEYENNE -- State Health Officer, Dr. Brent Sherard, said today that the state public health laboratory had confirmed Wyoming's third death linked to West Nile virus in an elderly woman from Weston County. {more}

August 29, 2003
State residents identified with West Nile virus climbs to 160 - ages range from 2 to 94.

CHEYENNE -- State health officials said today that 160 Wyoming citizens have been identified with exposure to West Nile virus. The ages range from 2- to 94-years old and the median age is 49. {more}

August 28, 2003
State residents identified with West Nile virus reaches 140 - ages range from 2 to 94: Niobrara only new county.

CHEYENNE -- State health officials said today that 140 Wyoming citizens have been identified with exposure to West Nile virus. The ages range from 2- to 94-years old and the median age is 49. Niobrara was the only new county added to the list of counties with a positive human case.{more}

August 25, 2003
State number of human West Nile virus cases reaches 100.

CHEYENNE -- State health officials said the number of Wyoming citizens identified with exposure to West Nile virus reached 100 today. The ages range from 11- to 87-years old and the median age is 49. To date the Wyoming Department of Health public health laboratory has tested 395 human samples for the disease. {more}

August 22, 2003
Wyoming Department of Health officials link deaths of two state residents to West Nile virus.

CHEYENNE -- State Health Officer, Dr. Brent Sherard, said today that two deaths were identified in the public health laboratory this afternoon as attributable to West Nile virus. These deaths are the first for the state since the disease was discovered here last year. The individuals were an elderly man and an elderly woman from Platte County, Sherard said.{more}

August 20, 2003
West Nile virus is identified in 59 humans in Wyoming and the number is expected to climb. Ages range from 11- to 82-years old. As we approach peak virus transmission season in the next couple weeks, please remember to be vigilant in eliminating mosquito breeding sites on your property and take precautions to avoid bites. {more}

August 18, 2003
State West Nile virus human cases now at 34 - ages range from 11 to 71; Washakie, Natrona, and Converse Counties added for human case count; State equine total to 99, bird total to 98. {more}

August 14, 2003
State West Nile virus human cases rise from 13 to 21; Weston, Johnson, and Campbell Counties added for human case count; Eight more infected horses brings state equine total to 78, bird total at 76. {more}

August 13, 2003
State West Nile virus human cases rise from 7 to 13; Dozens of human samples arriving in public health lab for testing; Infected animals also see sharp spike with Fremont County doubling their infected horse population.
{more}

August 1, 2003
Health officials identify first state resident human case of West Nile virus in Torrington; Case count for horses and birds jumps dramatically in past week; Peak risk of infection still a month away, says State Health Officer. {more}

July 22, 2003
West Nile virus-positive blue jay found in Goshen county makes second identified bird in state; Case count for horses with West Nile virus at 9; Wyoming Department of Health tests 30 human samples with no confirmed case yet. {more}

July 10, 2003
State case count for horses with West Nile virus at 9; Texas and South Carolina announce first human U.S. cases this year; Wyoming Department of Health tests 20 human samples with no confirmed case yet. {more}

July 3, 2003
Sublette County horse added to list of West Nile virus infected; Total for state now at five horses and one bird; 15 human samples tested to date and all negative. {more}

June 19, 2003
Fremont County Horse is Fifth West Nile Virus-Positive Animal in State this Year; Officials Urge Horse Owners to Consider Vaccination to Prevent High Case Numbers.

CHEYENNE -- Wyoming Department of Health and University of Wyoming officials today said that a mare from Fremont County has been identified as the fourth West Nile virus-positive horse in the state this year. One bird has also tested positive. No human cases have surfaced in Wyoming although the state saw two non-fatal cases in 2002. {more} (Pictures also included).

June 13, 2003
SHERIDAN COUNTY HORSE IDENTIFIED BY HEALTH OFFICIALS AS FOURTH STATE ANIMAL WITH WEST NILE VIRUS.

CHEYENNE -- Wyoming Department of Health and University of Wyoming officials today said that a 20-year old male horse in Sheridan County has tested positive for West Nile virus. The horse, which is still alive, is the third WNV-positive horse in the state this year. One bird was also identified with the disease. No human cases have surfaced in Wyoming this year although the state did see two non-fatal cases in 2002.{more}

June 11, 2003
FREMONT COUNTY HORSE IDENTIFIED BY HEALTH OFFICIALS AS THIRD STATE ANIMAL WITH WEST NILE VIRUS.

CHEYENNE -- Wyoming Department of Health officials today said that a female quarter horse in Fremont County has tested positive for West Nile virus. The horse, which is still alive, is the third animal case in the state this year following the identification of a dead disease-positive blue jay in Cheyenne on May 27 and positive Goshen County horse on May 30. {more}

May 30, 2003
Horse identified in Goshen County with West Nile Virus; Discovery comes
less than a week after identification of state's first disease-positive
dead bird; Health officials say early returns may signal a challenging
season. {more}

May 27, 2003
STATE'S FIRST WEST NILE VIRUS-POSITIVE DEAD BIRD FOUND IN EAST
CHEYENNE

CHEYENNE -- Wyoming Department of Health and University of Wyoming
officials today said that West Nile virus has reemerged in Wyoming with
the discovery of a disease-positive dead blue jay in the city of
Cheyenne. {more}

May 2, 2003
Department of Health officials today said that they are now
soliciting dead birds for testing for West Nile virus. But certain types
only will be accepted. {more}

April 23, 2003
Wyoming Department of Health Begins West Nile Virus Surveillance for2003 with Expectations of Higher Numbers of Bird, Horse, and Human Cases; Announces Web site and Media Campaign to Educate Public. {more}