State health officials say Oklahoma has recorded its first death from West Nile virus this year.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health says the death occurred in Pottawatomie County. So far in 2017, instances of the illness have been reported in Bryan, Cleveland, Muskogee, Oklahoma, Pottawatomie and Tulsa counties.
According to health officials, most people are infected with the virus from June through September, with the number of infections peaking in mid-August. The illness is transmitted to people by infected mosquitoes.
Last year, Oklahoma reported no West Nile deaths but in 2015, there were 10 West Nile deaths in the state.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 20 deaths nationwide this year from West Nile.