Although the weather has slowly but surely began to finally resemble fall, the West Nile virus which plagued parts of Alabama and the southeast during the summer continues to make its presence felt.

The Alabama Department of Public Health

recently announced four additional cases of non-fatal West Nile infection in Alabama residents.

The reported new cases occurred in a 44-year-old female resident of Autauga County and three male residents of Jefferson County, aged 64, 49 and 42.

The three new cases bring the statewide virus total this year to 46, which includes three fatal cases.

These latest cases of the virus were apparently suffered during September and early October, and the ADPH said the cases do not constitute a sudden re-emergence of the disease, adding that as the temperatures continue to cool, less cases of the virus will be reported.

In total, 88 horses, 577 birds and 63 mosquito pools have been confirmed with the virus, and the virus has been reported in 63 of Alabama's 67 counties.

Nationally, as of Oct. 2, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the number of West Nile cases reached 2,530, with 125 deaths reported in 32 states and Washington D.C.

The CDC, the Food and Drug Administration, the Health Resources and Services Administration, in collaboration with blood collection agencies and state and local health departments, continue to investigate WNV infections in recipients of blood products and organ transplantation.

CDC has received reports from 10 states of 15 patients with confirmed West Nile infection diagnosed after receiving blood products within one month of illness onset.

For more information on the West Nile virus, the public may call the CDC hotline 1-888-246-2675.