A second Iowan has died of the West Nile virus, health officials confirmed Thursday.

Russell Adams, 77, of Churdan, died Wednesday at Ames’ Mary Greeley Medical Center, 111 Duff Ave., following the death of Thomas Kuebler, 81, who died of complications of the virus Oct. 1.

Funeral services for Adams will be at 10:30 Saturday in Churdan.

Adams is survived by his wife, Pat; two sons, Terry and Larry; and a sister, Marcilene Lautner.

Shannon Vroegh, Adams’ granddaughter, said he enjoyed being outdoors.

“He was a fisherman and he spent time outdoors helping my grandma garden,” she said.

Adams fished four days a week at local ponds and in the river that runs through Greene County, Vroegh said.

Adams was sick for a month and spent three weeks at Mary Greeley Hospital in Ames, which is roughly 50 miles from Churdan.

His lengthy hospital stay was not easy on the family, Vroegh said.

“It’s probably the hardest thing I ever had to go through,” she said. “I wouldn’t wish this on anyone else, ever. We thought we were going to lose him.”

“He pulled through and seemed to be on the road to recovery,” Vroegh said of Adams’ final days in the hospital.

“That disease is a real roller coaster,” she said.

Cort Lohff, assistant state epidemiologist of the Iowa Department of Public Health, said West Nile virus is carried by mosquitoes.

“For the majority of people who get bit they never develop any signs or symptoms,” he said.

Lohff said after someone is bitten, it takes three to 15 days to develop signs or symptoms.

He said 20 percent of infected people develop West Nile fever — a flu-like illness — and fewer than 1 percent develop encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain, or meningitis, an infection of the covering of the brain and spinal cord.

“Usually the elderly are more at risk of developing severe complications with West Nile virus,” Lohff said.

He said there are 34 reported human cases of West Nile virus in the state.

Lohff recommends using incest repellent with DEET, wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts and keeping screens on windows to prevent infection.

He said winter should bring an end to the threat for this year.

“A good frost will basically eliminate the mosquito population from the state,” Lohff said.

— Jyni Ekins contributed to this story.