PERRYVILLE 鈥 Kevin Russell, a local radio DJ known as 鈥淜evyKev,鈥 died Thursday afternoon after contracting West Nile virus, according to his former station.
Perryville-based Classic Rock 93.1 KBDZ announced on social media that Russell, 62, died about five weeks after contracting the virus and developing a fever 鈥渉e couldn鈥檛 get rid of.鈥
鈥淗is condition deteriorated and it became obvious after a while, he was not going to get better again,鈥 the station .
Lisa Cox, communications director for the state Department of Health and Senior Services, said she could not confirm the cause of an identified individual鈥檚 death due to federal privacy law.
The state Department of Health on Thursday warned of a rise in West Nile Virus cases and urged residents to use insect repellant containing DEET and eliminate standing water where mosquitos breed. Three Missourians have died of West Nile this year.
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Infection from the virus often causes no symptoms, but about one in five people develop a flu-like illness with fever, headache or body aches. In rare cases, especially in older adults or people with weakened immune systems, it can cause serious problems, including swelling of the brain or spinal cord, or paralysis.
Paul Brown, who said he was a colleague and old friend of Russell鈥檚, said the former DJ鈥檚 fever kept getting worse. Brown said Russell was put on a ventilator and life support a day after going to an emergency room.
鈥淎 radio next to his bed played his music on his station,鈥 Brown, a radio sportscaster, . 鈥淎 lot of us prayed for a miracle (and) stood at his bedside.鈥
KBDZ simulcasts as 101.7. It played songs in Russell鈥檚 honor on Thursday, including 鈥淪tairway to Heaven,鈥 鈥淜nockin鈥 on Heaven鈥檚 Door鈥 and 鈥淔uneral for a Friend.鈥
鈥淐lassic Rock to say farewell to a Radio Classic,鈥 Brown said. 鈥淭hanks for everything old friend. Radio will miss you.鈥
碍叠顿窜鈥檚 includes 最新杏吧原创 and most of 最新杏吧原创 County, as well as the eastern side of St. Charles.
Staff at 93.1 described Russell as a dedicated friend and integral to the station鈥檚 operation.
鈥淲hen talking to Kevin, you knew you would be on the phone awhile because if you asked Kevin the time, he would tell you how to build a watch,鈥 they wrote online. 鈥淲e all miss those conversations deeply. And wish we could have more.鈥
As of Oct. 4, there had been six 鈥減robable鈥 cases and one confirmed case of West Nile across 最新杏吧原创 city, 最新杏吧原创 County and St. Charles County, according to the from the state Department of Health. Two of those cases resulted in confirmed deaths.
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