SPRINGFIELD, IL – Two additional deaths from West Nile encephalitis were announced today by the Illinois Department of Public Health, bringing to 13 the number of Illinoisans who have died this year due to the mosquito-borne disease. The Department also reported that the state's total number of laboratory positive human cases increased to 314 with the addition of 22 new cases.

Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director, said the most recent deaths were an 81-year-old woman from southern Cook County, who died Sept. 1, and a 76-year-old man from Madison County, who died Sept. 5. As has been the case with the other deaths in Illinois, the two had West Nile encephalitis. The state's other deaths have been from Chicago (3), suburban Cook County (5) and one each from DuPage, Effingham and Moultrie counties.

Human cases have been identified in 25 of the state's 102 counties, including Vermilion County, which today recorded its first case.

Dr. Lumpkin reminded Illinoisans to continue to take some simple steps to reduce the chance of mosquito bites:

• 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, as indicated on the repellent label. Consult a physician before using repellents on young children.
• 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.

These cases were reported today:

CHICAGO: A 71-year-old man, who was hospitalized; a 48-year-old woman , whose hospital information is not known; a 58-year-old man with West Nile encephalitis, whose hospital information is not known; a 35-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; and a 47-year-old man with West Nile fever, who was not hospitalized

SUBURBAN (NORTHERN) COOK COUNTY: An 80-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; an 81-year-old woman with West Nile encephalitis, whose hospital information is not known; a 78-year-old man with West Nile encephalitis, who was hospitalized; a 72-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; a 68-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; an 83-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; and a 50-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

SUBURBAN (SOUTHERN) COOK COUNTY: An 81-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis and died Sept. 1; a 3-month-old girl, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; and a 26-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

EDGAR COUNTY: A 66-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile fever.

JACKSON COUNTY: A 68-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile fever.

LASALLE COUNTY: A 32-year-old man, who was hospitalized.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY: A 71-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

SANGAMON COUNTY: A 42-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

VERMILION COUNTY: An 89-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

WILL COUNTY: A 57-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

Human cases have been identified in Chicago and 25 Illinois counties: Chicago (79), Clinton County (1), suburban Cook County (162), Crawford County (1), Cumberland (1), DeKalb County (1), DuPage County (16), Edgar County (2), Effingham County (3), Ford County (1), Jackson County (4), Kane County (1), Kankakee County (1), Lake County (1), LaSalle County (4), Macoupin County (1), Madison County (6), Montgomery County (2), Moultrie County (1), Sangamon County (3), Shelby County (1), Stark County (1), Stephenson County (1), St. Clair County (6), Vermilion County (1) and Will County (13). The average age of the Illinois cases is 56.

The state's previous 11 West Nile illness deaths were a 67-year-old man from DuPage County; a 78-year-old man, a 67-year-old woman, an 83-year-old woman, an 89-year-old woman and a 92-year-old woman from suburban Cook County; an 83-year-old man , an 82-year-old woman and a 79-year-old woman from Chicago; a 71-year-old man from Effingham County; and a 79-year-old woman from Moultrie County.

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.

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. A total of 495 birds, 452 mosquito batches and 253 horses in 96 Illinois counties have tested positive this year for the virus since surveillance for the mosquito-transmitted virus began on May 1.

The Culex or house mosquito, which can carry West Nile virus or St. Louis encephalitis virus, breeds in warm, stagnant water and will remain active and biting until there is a hard frost.

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. West Nile virus illness in Illinois has been reported in people ranging in age from 3 months to 92, but serious illness is most often present in individuals 50 years of age or older.

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.