While in 2002, there were only 4,156 reported cases of West Nile Virus human infection, with the virus reaching 44 states, in 2003 this increased to 8,912 cases and 211 deaths in 46 states in the United States.
Like SARS, fortunately kids did not seem to be at high risk of infection with the West Nile Virus, with relatively few reported cases in children under 19 years of age.
Although, according to the CDC, 'less than 1 percent of people who are bitten by mosquitoes develop any symptoms of the disease and relatively few mosquitoes actually carry WNV,' this did not keep worried parents from keeping their kids inside or rushing to the doctor if they got a mosquitoe bite and a fever during peak summer and fall months.
Still, the West Nile Virus came very short of causing the fear and anxiety that SARS created and is no where near the number of deaths that influenza causes each year, and so would likely be a poor candidate for virus of the year.
