NEW ORLEANS - The Louisiana Department of Health is reporting the state's first death this year from West Nile virus, and says six cases have been reported to the state since Oct. 14.

That brings the total number of cases to 36, including 21 dangerous infections of the nervous system.

The department says in a news release that it does not report the parish of death to protect patient privacy.

The number of dangerous "neuroinvasive" infections rose by four from mid-October. A department news release says another 12 are flu-like West Nile fever. That's up two from the earlier report.

The number of cases without symptoms remains at three. Those are found by blood tests.

At this time last year , 57 cases had been reported, including 36 neuroinvasive illnesses and five deaths.