RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia health officials are reporting the state's first human West Nile virus death this year.

The Virginia Department of Health says in a news release that the patient was an older adult in northwest Virginia. The department didn't provide details.

As of Tuesday, a total nine cases of West Nile virus have been reported in the state. They include four in northwest Virginia, two in northern Virginia, two in central Virginia and one in southwest Virginia.

According to the department, the number of human cases isn't unusual. There was one West Nile death in 2011 and one in 2010. A total nine human cases were reported in 2011. One to five cases were reported annually from 2006 to 2010.

West Nile is commonly spread by mosquitoes infected with the virus.