SPRINGFIELD, IL – Fourteen new laboratory positive cases of West Nile disease, including the first human case in Mason County, were reported today by the Illinois Department of Public Health, bringing to 675 the total number of cases in the state this year from the mosquito-borne disease.

Today's cases include two from the city of Chicago, seven from suburban Cook County and one each from DuPage, Kane, Macoupin, Mason and Peoria counties. So far this year, there have been human cases of West Nile disease in 46 of the state's 102 counties. Cases range in age from 3 months to 97 years; the average age is 57.

There have been 41 Illinoisans who have died this year with West Nile encephalitis. The fatalities are from Chicago (9), suburban Cook County (15), DuPage County (2), Fulton County (2), Sangamon County (3) and one each from Effingham, Jackson, Kane, Kendall, Knox, Lake, Macon, Madison, Moultrie and White counties.

Cases announced today follow:

CHICAGO: A 56-year-old woman, who was hospitalized; and a 91-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known.

SUBURBAN (NORTHERN) COOK COUNTY: A 51-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 43-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; an 88-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; and a 43-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known.

SUBURBAN (SOUTHERN) COOK COUNTY: A 63-year-old man with West Nile fever, who was not hospitalized; a 17-year-old woman with West Nile fever, who was not hospitalized; and a 62-year-old man with West Nile encephalitis, whose hospital information is not known.

DUPAGE COUNTY: A 63-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

KANE COUNTY: A 28-year-old woman, who was not hospitalized.

MACOUPIN COUNTY: A 41-year-old man with West Nile encephalitis, whose hospital information is not known.

MASON COUNTY: A 52-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known.

PEORIA COUNTY: A 59-year-old woman, who was hospitalized.

A complete listing of the positive birds, mosquito batches, horses and humans identified so far in Illinois, by county, is available on the Department's Web site at <www.idph.state.il.us>. Go to the West Nile virus page and select "2002" under surveillance.

With the cooling of temperatures recently, Dr. Lumpkin noted there has been a marked reduction in mosquito activity, but reminded Illinoisans to take the following steps to reduce the chance of mosquito bites until their area experiences a hard frost.

• Avoid being outdoors at dawn, dusk and early evening when mosquitoes are most active. If outdoors at these times, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long- sleeved shirt to cover as much of the skin as possible. Loose-fitting, light colored clothing is best.
• Use insect/mosquito repellent containing 25 percent to 35 percent DEET when outdoors when mosquitoes are biting, applied sparingly to exposed skin or clothing,
• Check for and repair any holes or tears in residential screens, including porches and patios.
• Eliminate stagnant water in bird baths, ponds, flower pots, wading pools, old tires and any other receptacles in which mosquitoes might breed.

The Culex or house mosquito, which can carry West Nile virus or St. Louis encephalitis virus, breeds in warm, stagnant water and remains active and biting until there is a hard frost. As the temperatures dip below 60 degrees at night and in early morning, the mosquitoes' feeding habits change from seeking blood meals, which they use for reproduction, to sugar meals from plants that help sustain them over winter.

Dr. Lumpkin said most people who get infected with West Nile virus have either no symptoms or mild symptoms, but a few individuals may develop a more severe form of the disease, such as encephalitis or meningitis.

Most people infected with West Nile virus have no clinical symptoms of illness, but some may become ill three to 14 days after the bite of an infected mosquito. Infections can be mild and include fever, headache and body aches, or severe and marked by headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, convulsions, muscle weakness, paralysis and, rarely, death. Serious West Nile virus illness is most often present in individuals 50 years of age or older.

A total of 513 birds, 528 mosquito batches and 807 horses in 100 Illinois counties – including Hardin and Pope counties where positive horses were reported for the first time today – have tested positive this year for the virus since surveillance for the mosquito-transmitted virus began on May 1.

EDITOR'S NOTE: West Nile disease case updates will be issued on Tuesdays and Thursdays unless there is a fatality or a human case is reported in a county for the first time.

2002 West Nile virus surveillance information can be found on the Department's Web site at www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/wnvsurveillance_data02.htm.