Sep 02, 2003 — New York health officials reported the year's first fatal case of West Nile virus last week - an elderly woman from Schuyler County. In most cases, people who contract the mosquito-born virus have only mild symptoms, if any at all. But the elderly are most susceptible to developing severe cases, which can cause dangerous swelling of the brain, like encephalitis or meningitis. Last year, five New Yorkers died, of the 83 reported cases. Nationwide this year, more than 1,000 cases have been reported, with 21 deaths. The virus first surfaced in North America in 1999 - now scientists are looking at parallels between West Nile and polio. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium's Jenny Lawton reports.