SPRINGFIELD, IL – The first human cases of West Nile disease in DeWitt, Marion and Saline counties are among 23 new laboratory positive cases of the mosquito-borne illness announced today by the Illinois Department of Public Health. So far this year, there have been 48 deaths and 761 cases of West Nile disease in Illinois.

Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director, said cold temperatures have most likely ended the threat of West Nile disease for this year, but additional cases will continue to be reported as laboratory results trickle in. Today's cases are people infected earlier in the summer and fall and for whom laboratory results were only recently confirmed.

With the addition of cases in three new counties, West Nile disease has now been reported in 52 of the state's 102 counties.

West Nile disease cases announced today include 12 from suburban Cook County, three from DuPage County and one each from Clinton, DeWitt, Lake, LaSalle, Madison, Marion, Saline and Will counties.

SUBURBAN (NORTHERN) COOK COUNTY: An 85-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 54-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile fever; a 63-year-old woman with West Nile fever, who was not hospitalized; a 58-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; a 40-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; and an 82-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known.

SUBURBAN (SOUTHERN) COOK COUNTY: A 21-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile fever; a 61-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 41-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; and three 53-year-old men, whose hospital information is not known.

CLINTON COUNTY: An 83-year-old woman, who was hospitalized.

DEWITT COUNTY: A 22-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

DUPAGE COUNTY: A 37-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 1-year-old girl, whose hospital information is not known; and a 51-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known.

LAKE COUNTY: A 65-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known.

LASALLE COUNTY: A 63-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile fever.

MADISON COUNTY: An 81-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

MARION COUNTY: A 36-year-old man with West Nile fever, who was not hospitalized.

SALINE COUNTY: A 70-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile fever.

WILL COUNTY: A 66-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

The state's fatalities this year have been have been from Chicago (11), suburban Cook County (17), DuPage County (3), Fulton County (3), Sangamon County (3) and one each from Effingham, Jackson, Jefferson, Kane, Kendall, Knox, Lake, Macon, Madison, Moultrie and White counties.

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.

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.