Grand Rapids Media Personality Barton Deiters Dead At 56

Sad news to report as former WOOD TV 8 reporter Barton Deiters has passed away. Barton's passing was announced by the reporter's long time employer on their social media tonight.

“Bart has been an incredible journalist and dedicated his all to this community,” WOOD TV News Director Dan Boers said. “His tireless pursuit of the truth influenced change and will be remembered well into the future.”

Deiters had been fighting West Nile Virus for over seven months after being infected by a mosquito bite. The disease left Deiters moving from home to hospital to skilled nursing facilities often.

The Wyoming native was a reporter at the Grand Rapids Press previous to his time with WOOD TV 8. He is survived by his wife Lorena and children, Harrison and Sophie. The family has set up a GoFundMe page here: Deiters Go Fund Me

The CDC Says that West Nile virus (WNV) is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States. It is most commonly spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito.

Cases of WNV occur during mosquito season, which starts in the summer and continues through fall. There are no vaccines to prevent or medications to treat WNV in people.

Fortunately, most people infected with WNV do not feel sick. About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. About 1 out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness. You can reduce your risk of WNV by using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants to prevent mosquito bites.