SPRINGFIELD, IL – Thirty-three new laboratory positive human cases of West Nile disease, including the death of a suburban Cook County man, were announced today by the Illinois Department of Public Health. So far this year, Illinois has reported 346 cases of the mosquito-borne disease and 14 deaths.

In addition, Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director, unveiled two 60-second radio and two 30-second television public service announcements that will be mailed to stations this week to further educate the public about simple things they can do to reduce the risk of West Nile virus illness.

"As the ads state, West Nile virus can be deadly, but it is no match for common sense," Dr. Lumpkin said. "Apply bug spray and wear long-sleeved clothing and stay indoors during prime mosquito biting hours like dawn and dusk. In addition, repair all screen doors and windows and remove standing water from flower pots, kiddie pools, pet bowls and other areas around your home where mosquitoes breed."

In a letter to radio and television stations, Dr. Lumpkin urged them to run the public service announcements through the end of September. The ads were mailed to radio stations Monday and the television ads are to be mailed today. Scripts for the radio and television ads are on the Department's West Nile Web site under "Public Education" and people can listen to the radio ads at www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/wnvpublic_ed.htm.

Dr. Lumpkin said the most recent death was a 78-year-old man from northern Cook County, who died Tuesday (Sept. 10) with West Nile encephalitis. He reported an onset of illness on Aug. 29 and was hospitalized Sept. 5 with fever, headache and tremors. The state's other deaths have been from Chicago (3), suburban Cook County (6) and one each from DuPage, Effingham, Madison and Moultrie counties.

Today's human cases include 11 from the city of Chicago, 17 from suburban Cook County, three from DuPage County, one from Crawford County and one from McHenry County, which today reported its first case.

Following are the cases reported today:

CHICAGO: A 50-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile fever; a 65-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 49-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; an 83-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; an 8-year-old girl with West Nile fever, who was not hospitalized; a 40-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 64-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 47-year-old woman, who was hospitalized; an 81-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 39-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; and a 50-year-old woman, who was hospitalized.

SUBURBAN (NORTHERN) COOK COUNTY: A 42-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 48-year-old man with West Nile fever, who was not hospitalized; a 54-year-old woman with West Nile encephalitis, who was not hospitalized; an 88-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 60-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 59-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 39-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 39-year-old woman, with West Nile encephalitis, who was not hospitalized; a 58-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 62-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 52-year-old woman with West Nile fever, who was not hospitalized; an 84-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; and a 78-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis and died Sept. 10.

SUBURBAN (SOUTHERN) COOK COUNTY: A 74-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 23-year-old man with West Nile fever, who was not hospitalized; a 41-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; and a 77-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

CRAWFORD COUNTY: A 37-year-old man with West Nile fever, who was not hospitalized.

DUPAGE COUNTY: A 61-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 33-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; and a 37-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

MCHENRY COUNTY: A 35-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

Human cases have been identified in Chicago and 26 Illinois counties: Chicago (90), Clinton County (1), suburban Cook County (179), Crawford County (2), Cumberland (1), DeKalb County (1), DuPage County (19), Edgar County (1), 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), McHenry County (1), 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.

EDITORS NOTE: The Sept. 11 news release regarding West Nile virus illnesses in Illinois – ILLINOIS REPORTS TWO MORE WEST NILE FATALITIES – incorrectly included a 66-year-old man from Edgar County who had been reported previously (Sept. 9). Therefore, the total caseload as of Sept. 11 should have been 313; with today's 33 new cases, the total is now 346.

The state's previous 13 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, 81-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; a 76-year-old man from Madison County; and a 79-year-old woman from Moultrie County. mosquito bites:

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 reminded Illinoisans to continue to take the following 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.

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 500 birds, 452 mosquito batches and 249 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 years, 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.