SPRINGFIELD, IL – Two more deaths from West Nile disease were announced today by the Illinois Department of Public Health, bringing to 18 the number of Illinoisans who have died this year from the mosquito-borne disease. In addition, the Department reported the state's total number of laboratory positive human cases had risen to 381 with the addition of 24 new cases.

Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director, said the most recent deaths were an 81-year-old Sangamon County man, who was admitted to the hospital Sept. 7 and died Sept. 8; and an 81-year-old woman from Chicago, who died Saturday (Sept. 14). The state's other deaths have been from Chicago (3), suburban Cook County (8) and one each from DuPage, Effingham, Macon, Madison and Moultrie counties.

Today's 24 new human cases include nine from the city of Chicago, 10 from suburban Cook County, one each from Jackson, Sangamon and St. Clair counties, and one each from Clark and McLean counties, which reported their first cases.

Following are the new cases reported today:

CHICAGO: A 77-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; a 76-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 55-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; a 75-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 58-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 74-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; a 79-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 76-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; and a 28-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known. The 81-year-old woman who died Saturday was previously reported as a West Nile case on Thursday (Sept. 12).

SUBURBAN (NORTHERN) COOK COUNTY: A 64-year-old man with West Nile encephalitis, whose hospital information is not known; a 28-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile fever; a 68-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 72-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 56-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 74-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile fever; and a 50-year-old woman with West Nile encephalitis, who was not hospitalized.

SUBURBAN (SOUTHERN) COOK COUNTY: A 32-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; a 53-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; and a 36-year-old man, who was not hospitalized.

CLARK COUNTY: A 72-year-old man, who was hospitalized.

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

MCLEAN COUNTY: A 48-year-old woman, who was not hospitalized.

SANGAMON COUNTY: An 81-year-old man, who was hospitalized and died Sept. 8.

ST. CLAIR COUNTY: A 60-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known.

EDITORS NOTE: The Sept. 4 news release regarding West Nile virus illnesses in Illinois included a 2-year-old girl from suburban Cook County who, after further review of her medical records, has been dropped as a case of West Nile disease. Therefore, the total caseload with today's 24 new cases is 381. In addition, in Sept. 13's news release, the amount of emergency funding received by DeKalb County Health Department was incorrect. The amount should have read $15,660, not the $23,839 that was reported.

Human cases have been identified in Chicago and 30 Illinois counties: Chicago (101), Clark County (1), Clinton County (1), suburban Cook County (194), Crawford County (2), Cumberland (2), DeKalb County (1), DuPage County (19), Edgar County (1), Effingham County (3), Ford County (1), Jackson County (5), Kane County (1), Kankakee County (1), Lake County (1), LaSalle County (4), Macon County (1), Macoupin County (1), Madison County (6), McHenry County (1), McLean County (1), Montgomery County (2), Moultrie County (1), Rock Island (1), Sangamon County (4), Shelby County (1), Stark County (1), Stephenson County (1), St. Clair County (7), Vermilion County (1) and Will County (14). The average age of the Illinois cases is 56.

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 506 birds, 528 mosquito batches and 249 horses in 97 Illinois counties have tested positive this year for the virus since surveillance for the mosquito-transmitted virus began on May 1. Brown County today became the 97th county to record a West Nile positive with the confirmation by the Illinois Department of Agriculture Laboratory that a blue jay from the county had tested positive for the virus.

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.