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Officials Confirm First West Nile Death On Long Island

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Officials on Long Island confirmed the first death of 2012 related to West Nile virus.

Nassau County health officials said a resident from the town of Oyster Bay, who was older than 80, has died.

No other specific details about the victim's death were announced.

Nassau officials said another resident also tested positive but is recovering.

Officials in neighboring Suffolk County said two people have been confirmed with the disease this year.

Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the 2012 outbreak is one of the largest in the U.S., with four times the usual number of cases

So far, 1,118 illnesses have been reported. About half of them are in Texas. In an average year, fewer than 300 cases are reported by mid-August.

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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