A Lehi man is at home after being hospitalized with West Nile virus, and others in the state have been diagnosed with the more serious stage of the neurological disease, a state health official said.

In all, there are five new cases of the mosquito-spread illness in the state, said Jodee Summers, epidemiologist with the state health department. Four of those cases are in Utah County, including Lehi resident Bryant Powell. Summers couldn't give specifics about any of the cases, but said that three of the five are serious and could be fatal.

"It is possible that some of them could get worse," Summers said. "It's difficult to say because it affects everyone differently."

The first person diagnosed in the state this year lives in Spanish Fork.

Powell, 56, first felt the flu-like symptoms of the virus on July 15 while at the Lehi Oldies Car Show.

"We thought, 'Oh, he's got the flu, or it's the heat.' " said his wife, Burdette Powell. "He had flu-like symptoms for a couple of days."

His symptoms worsened. His skin turned grey-green and "he had a temperature of 103 and he had body aches, it felt like he had pins sticking in his head," she said.

When he seemed confused when asked questions, his family decided to take him to American Fork Hospital on July 24. He was released on July 28 and now spends much of the day sleeping. He hopes to return to work next week.

Other virus victims did not release their contact information to the media.

The jump in the number of cases was expected and follows the pattern of the disease last year at this time, Summers said.

"We were expecting to have several cases in a week," she said. "This is not anything out of the ordinary. We just encourage people to take precautions and use DEET from dusk to dawn."

After interviewing the victims, the state believes all five of the new cases contracted the virus at or near their homes, she said.

"A lot of them didn't have a travel history," she said.

Sixteen human cases of the virus were diagnosed in Utah County last year, said Joy Holbrook, epidemiologist with the Utah County Health Department.

"We started about a week and a half earlier this year than we did last year," she said of the spike of cases. "I think we will see new cases for a few more weeks."

Residents all over Utah Valley should not only protect themselves with clothing and DEET insect repellents, but should also get rid of all standing water around their homes, she said.

"Now is the time," she said.

Caleb Warnock can be reached at 443-3263 or cwarnock@heraldextra.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A1.