1st IL West Nile Virus Death Of Year Reported In Lake County: IDPH

ILLINOIS — A Lake County resident, who was in their 80s, has died as a result of being infected by West Nile virus. According to the Illinois Department of Health, it marks the first death of an Illinois resident from WNV this year.

Officials said Tuesday the person had an onset of symptoms of WNV in mid-August and died soon thereafter. IDPH also confirmed there have been nine non-fatal human cases of WNV in 2024, mostly in Cook County, with others happening in DuPage, Will, Winnebago and Tazewell counties.

"This death —and the six that occurred last year in Illinois — are a stark reminder that West Nile virus poses a serious risk, especially to older people and those with weakened immune systems," IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said. "This is why, while warm weather continues and mosquitoes are breeding, we should all take steps to 'Fight the Bite.' Please protect yourself and your loved ones by reducing exposures, repelling insects with clothing and repellents, and reporting locations at high risk for producing mosquitoes."

RELATED: 1st Human Case Of West Nile Virus Found In Suburban Cook County — IDPH

The death comes one month after the first human case of the year was reported in suburban Cook County on July 17. For comparison, the first human case in 2023 was reported in late June. In all, there were 119 human cases last summer, up from 34 cases in 2022.

The first WNV-related death in Illinois last year also had an onset of symptoms in August, according to IDPH. The youngest person to report a case of West Nile virus in the state in 2023 was 33 years old, while the median age of human cases was 67.

According to IDPH, WNV is transmitted through the bite of a Culex mosquito, or a typical mosquito, which has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird.

Common WNV symptoms include fever, nausea, headache and muscle aches, which may last from a few days to a few weeks. Officials said four out of five people infected with West Nile virus will not show any symptoms.

Severe illness can occur, including brain infections such as meningitis or encephalitis and paralysis or even death, in rare cases. People older than 50 and immunocompromised individuals are at higher risk for severe illness from WNV. There is no specific treatment for WNV nor is there a vaccine at present, therefore it is critically important that people minimize their risk of being infected by it.

Through its "Fight the Bite" program, the IDPH recommends the following precautions:

• REDUCE — make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings. Try to keep doors and windows shut. Eliminate, or refresh each week, all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, including water in bird baths, ponds, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires, and any other containers.
• REPEL — when outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a light-colored, long-sleeved shirt, and apply an EPA-registered insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR 3535 according to label instructions. The CDC does not recommend use of products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol on children under 3 years old. Consult a physician before using repellents on children under 3.
• REPORT — report locations where you see water sitting stagnant for more than a week, such as roadside ditches, flooded yards, and similar locations that may produce mosquitoes. The local health department or city government may be able to add larvicide to the water, which will kill any mosquito larvae.