SPRINGFIELD, IL – The deaths of a Chicago woman and a Knox County man and 18 new laboratory confirmed cases of West Nile disease bring to 29 the number of fatalities this year in Illinois from the mosquito-borne disease and to 518 the total number of human cases, the Illinois Department of Public Health today announced.

Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director, said the most recent deaths were an 80-year-old woman from Chicago, who was hospitalized Aug. 24 and died Saturday (Sept. 21); and an 88-year-old man from Knox County, who was hospitalized Sept. 9 and died today (Sept. 24) . The state's other deaths have been from Chicago (5), suburban Cook County (14) and one each from DuPage, Effingham, Fulton, Lake, Macon, Madison, Moultrie and Sangamon counties.

The 18 cases of West Nile disease reported today include eight from the city of Chicago, six from suburban Cook County, and one each from Clinton, DeKalb, Effingham and Sangamon counties. So far this year, there has been a total of 518 human cases of West Nile disease in 39 of the state's 102 counties and 29 deaths. Human cases range in age from 3 months to 97 years and the average age is 56.

Cases announced today follow:

CHICAGO: An 80-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 73-year-old woman, who was hospitalized; a 64-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; an 89-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; a 49-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; an 88-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 37-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; and a 63-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile fever. The 80-year-old woman who died Sept. 21 was previously reported as a West Nile disease case on Sept. 9.

SUBURBAN (NORTHERN) COOK COUNTY: A 55-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile fever; and a 43-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

SUBURBAN (SOUTHERN) COOK COUNTY: A 42-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 59-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 44-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; and a 74-year-old woman with West Nile fever, who was not hospitalized.

CLINTON COUNTY: A 39-year-old man, who was hospitalized.

DEKALB COUNTY: A 30-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

EFFINGHAM COUNTY: A 63-year-old woman, who was not hospitalized.

SANGAMON COUNTY: A 28-year-old man with West Nile encephalitis, whose hospital information is not known. The Knox County man who died today was reported as a case on Friday (Sept. 20).

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 continued to urge 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, 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 508 birds, 528 mosquito batches and 415 horses in 98 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 remains 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. Serious West Nile virus 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.