A 96-year-old woman from Bakersfield, Kern County has died of West Nile virus, making her the first fatality from the disease in California, the Kern County Health Department confirmed Friday afternoon.

The elderly woman, whose name was not released, is the eighth confirmed West Nile case in Kern County, and the first death in the state. State Health Department said she died a "sudden" death on Wednesday following complications from the virus

State health officials have found West Nile virus in mosquitoes near Manchester, Connecticut, marking the ninth consecutive year that West Nile virus has been found in the state.

Meanwhile, Xinhua News Agency is reporting that heavy rains this summer have helped the mosquito population thrive in several states. Health officials are warning those at risk, especially the elderly to use insect repellent as well as exercising other precautions. Officials recommend eliminating any stagnant water, so as not to give the mosquitoes a potential breeding ground

A man who lives in a community southeast of Winnipeg has become the first human to test positive for the West Nile virus in Manitoba this year. The virus was discovered during a screening after the man donated blood on June 19.

The man, who is in his 50s, had only mild symptoms of the disease

Health officials have found mosquitoes infected with the West Nile virus in Manitoba, Canada. However, no human case has been identified so far this year.

The Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health for the province reported that mosquitoes collected from traps during the week of June 4, 2007 had tested positive for the virus. The first cases of the West Nile virus in humans were found in June last year

West Nile virus is killing many of America's favorite backyard warblers, along with crows, blue jays and other birds. The virus is the most important mosquito-borne illness reported in years. Although it primarily affects birds, it affects people too. Transmission of the disease in North America has resulted in an estimated 280,000 illnesses, over 26,000 reported cases and 996 human deaths.

Scientists at the Consortium for Conservation Medicine (CCM), based at Wildlife Trust, New York and the Smithsonian Institution's Migratory Bird Center found that many species of birds enjoyed by birders, including backyard favorites such as tufted titmice and chickadees are suffering significant declines in population because of the West Nile Virus