Tom Beardman, CA-Victim

Banning Man Sixth Californian To Die Of West Nile Virus
Health Officials Say Former Police Officer Had Underlying Illnesses
UPDATED: 5:38 pm PDT August 18, 2005

BANNING, Calif. -- A 72-year-old retired police officer is the sixth Californian to die from West Nile virus this year, health officials said.

The man "did have some serious underlying illnesses, which may have complicated his condition," Riverside County Disease Control Director Barbara Cole said. Tests confirmed Tuesday that he had the illness.

His widow identified the victim as Tom Beardman, a former Anaheim police officer. He was hospitalized on July 13 after suffering a headache, breathing problems and neck, back and chest pain, Barbara Smith-Beardman said.

He lost consciousness the next day and died Sunday at Loma Linda University Medical Center, she said.

West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes, which are active at dusk.

Beardman's widow said that despite the insects, he often enjoyed sitting outside at nightfall. They lived on a golf course and had the view.

"He'd sit out there with a big citronella candle and a flyswatter," she told The Press-Enterprise.

In Riverside County, 31 people have contracted the virus this year, including Beardman and one other man who died, authorities said.

Around the state as of Tuesday, 208 cases had been reported since Jan. 1.

Most of the cases have been in Central and Northern California, said Vicki Kramer, chief of the Vectorborne Disease Section of the California Department of Health Services.

In addition to the two deaths in Riverside County, victims have died in Fresno, Kings, San Joaquin and Butte counties.

The virus killed 100 people in the country last year, including 28 in California.

Most people who contract the virus display no symptoms. About one in five develop mild symptoms that can include fever, headache, body aches, rash and fatigue. About one in 150 suffer life-threatening swelling of the brain or spinal cord.

State health officials advise people to wear insect repellent and get rid of standing water, where mosquitoes breed.