West Nile virus killed a 64-year-old man, the second confirmed death in California this year, health officials said on Thursday.

The man died this month after being hospitalized for West Nile virus-related symptoms, and his death followed that of a 72-year-old woman who also died this month, officials said.

Both the two victims were from Orange County near Los Angeles.

Until this month, Orange County had not had a West Nile virus-related death since 2004.

Both the man and the woman had the more serious neuroinvasive form of the disease, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency (HAC).

As of Thursday, the number of confirmed symptomatic cases of West Nile virus infection in Orange County is 32, and four donors have tested positive for the virus but had no symptoms, said Deanne Thompson of the agency.

Some patients remain hospitalized, she said.

Of the 32 symptomatic cases, 26 involved the more serious neuroinvasive form that can lead to meningitis, encephalitis and an illness similar to polio that includes paralysis, but those latter cases are rare, according to the HCA.

Health officials have warned that the risk of contracting West Nile virus from mosquito bites is the highest it has been in four years.

(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2008)