SPRINGFIELD, IL – The deaths of two Chicago-area residents and an elderly man from downstate White County with West Nile disease bring to 32 the total number of Illinois fatalities this year from the mosquito-transmitted illness, Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director, today announced.

Dr. Lumpkin said a 66-year-old Chicago man was admitted to the hospital on Aug. 30 and died with West Nile encephalitis on Sept. 16; a 67-year-old woman from southern Cook County was admitted to the hospital Aug. 19 and died today (Sept. 27); and an 86-year-old man from White County was hospitalized Sept. 17 and died Tuesday (Sept. 24).

The state's other fatalities have been from Chicago (6), suburban Cook County (14) and one each from DuPage, Effingham, Fulton, Knox, Lake, Macon, Madison, Moultrie and Sangamon counties.

Twenty-two new cases of West Nile disease were reported today, including the first two cases from Champaign County and the first case from White County, 13 from the city of Chicago, four from suburban Cook County, and one each from LaSalle and Macon. A total of 573 human cases have been identified in 41 of the state's 102 counties; they range in age from 3 months to 97 years. The average age is 56.

Cases announced today follow:

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY: A 55-year-old woman, who was hospitalized; and a 69-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

CHICAGO: A 29-year-old man with West Nile encephalitis; an 86-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 32-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; an 81-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 46-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 41-year-old woman with West Nile fever, who was not hospitalized; a 66-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 13-year-old boy, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 64-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 72-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; an 82-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 73-year-old woman, who was hospitalized; and a 66-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis and died Sept. 16.

SUBURBAN (NORTHERN) COOK COUNTY: A 39-year-old man, who was not hospitalized; and a 42-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

SUBURBAN (SOUTHERN) COOK COUNTY: A 31-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; and a 68-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known. The 67-year-old woman who died Sept. 27 was previously reported as a West Nile encephalitis case on Sept. 3.

LASALLE COUNTY: A 62-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

MACON COUNTY: A 14-year-old boy, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

WHITE COUNTY: An 86-year-old man, who was hospitalized and died Sept. 24.

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 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.

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. As the temperatures dip below 60 degrees at night and in early morning, the mosquitoes' feeding habits change from seeking blood meals, which they use for reproduction, to sugar meals from plants that help sustain them over winter.

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.

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.

A total of 513 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.

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.