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Cases of West Nile illness are being reported at about triple the usual rate, U.S. health officials say. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said there have been 1,118 human cases so far in 2012. About half have been in Texas. In a typical year, the CDC said, fewer than 300 cases are reported by the middle of August. Most cases are reported in August and September. CDC officials suggested that the mild winter, early spring and very hot summer have spurred breeding of the mosquitoes that carry the disease. They spread it by biting infected birds and then biting humans or other animals. Only 1 person out of 5 gets sick from the infection. Symptoms usually are mild. About 1 person out of 150 has a serious illness. The most severe symptoms include neck stiffness, paralysis and coma. The Associated Press wrote about the outbreak August 22.

U.S. labels for statin drugs now will list warnings about two new possible side effects. Some people taking statins have had a temporary loss of short-term memory. Some people have shown a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The new labels will mention these potential risks. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the changes February 28. Statins include drugs such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), simvastatin (Zocor) and rosuvastatin (Crestor). They are used to lower LDL cholesterol and to help prevent heart attacks. The FDA says the memory problems have not been serious and went away when people stopped taking statins. Recent research has found that the increased risk of diabetes is small but real for people taking higher doses of statins. The new labels also will drop previous advice to have people taking statins get regular blood tests for liver enzymes.