First 2022 Human Case Of West Nile In Lake County Reported

WAUKEGAN, IL — A man in his 60s has become the Lake County resident to fall ill with the West Nile Virus so far this year, public health officials announced.

The case is at least the 13th human infection with West Nile virus in Illinois detected in 2022.

According to the Lake County Health Department, about 12 percent of batches of mosquitos sampled in the county have tested positive for the virus this year.

The county's first human case became ill earlier this month, public health officials said.

"Take precautions to protect yourself from mosquito bites and West Nile virus,” Mark Pfister, the department’s executive director, said in a statement. “Even as the weather gets cooler, mosquitoes will remain active until the first hard frost.”

The case comes less than a month after state public health officials announced the year's first human case and first death from West Nile virus in Illinois this year.

A Cook County resident in their late 70s became ill in early August and later died, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. A second Illinois resident later died from the virus, according to the IDPH West Nile virus statistics.

The first batch of mosquitos to test positive for the virus was collected May 17 in Will County, while the first dead bird to be detected with the virus was collected July 5 in Logan County, IDPH announced.

While most people infected with West Nile never show symptoms of the virus, those aged 50 and older and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for severe illnesses from teh virus.

Common symptoms, which tend to appear three to 15 days after a bite from an infected mosquito, include fevers, nausea, headaches and muscle aches.

Residents can report areas of stagnant water, dead birds and get additional information about the signs of West Nile by calling the health department's West Nile hotline at 847-377-8300.