SPRINGFIELD, IL – The number of human cases of West Nile virus illness rose to 268 with the addition today of 44 new laboratory positive cases of the mosquito-borne disease, according to Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director.

In addition, Dr. Lumpkin announced the state's 10th death due to West Nile encephalitis is a 79-year-old woman from Chicago who died on Aug. 30 and was reported to the Chicago Department of Public Health over the weekend. The state's other deaths were from Chicago (2), suburban Cook County (4) and one each from DuPage, Effingham and Moultrie counties.

Human cases have been identified in 23 of the state's 102 counties, including two counties -- Edgar and Kankakee -- that today recorded their first cases.

"The escalating number of human cases underscores how pervasive this virus has become in our state," Dr. Lumpkin said. "Until there are sustained cool temperatures or a hard frost, it is incumbent on all of us to take the steps necessary to reduce the chance of a mosquito bite. This simply means follow the precautions that have been recommended."

These simple steps include the following:

• 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: An 84-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 52-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; a 66-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 60-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; an 80-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; a 23-year-old man with West Nile fever, who was not hospitalized; a 66-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; a 49-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; a 57-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 55-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 79-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 40-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; an 86-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; a 29-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 41-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; an 87-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; a 53-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; a 54-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; and a 57-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known.

SUBURBAN (NORTHERN) COOK COUNTY: A man, age unknown, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 65-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 73-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 42-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; a 76-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; a 35-year-old man, whose hospital information is not known; and a 70-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known; and a 19-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

SUBURBAN (SOUTHERN) COOK COUNTY: A 78-year-old man, who was – more – add 2 hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 38-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 73-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 47-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 74-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 69-year-old man, who was hospitalized; a 68-year-old man who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 78-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; a 73-year-old woman, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; and an 85-year-old man, who was hospitalized.

DUPAGE COUNTY: A 42-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis; and a 57-year-old man with West Nile fever, who was not hospitalized.

EDGAR COUNTY: A 66-year-old man, who was hospitalized.

KANKAKEE COUNTY: A 29-year-old woman, whose hospital information is not known.

MADISON COUNTY: A 74-year-old man, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

SANGAMON COUNTY: A 44-year-old man with West Nile fever, who was not hospitalized. EDITOR'S NOTE: This man was previously reported as positive (Aug. 26), but removed as a case (Sept. 3) due to an error in reading the lab result. A second sample was submitted and determined to be laboratory positive for West Nile disease.

WILL COUNTY: A 16-year-old boy, who was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.

Human cases have been identified in Chicago and 23 Illinois counties: Chicago (68), Clinton County (1), suburban Cook County (145), Crawford County (1), DeKalb County (1), DuPage County (11), Edgar County (1), Effingham County (3), Ford County (1), Jackson County (2), Kane County (1), Kankakee County (1), Lake County (1), LaSalle County (3), Macoupin County (1), Madison County (5), Montgomery County (1), Moultrie County (1), Sangamon County (2), Shelby County (1), Stark County (1), Stephenson County (1), St. Clair County (6) and Will County (9). The average age of the Illinois cases is 56.

The state's nine other nine fatalities due to West Nile virus illness are a 67-year-old man – more – add 3 from DuPage County; 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 and an 82-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, 451 mosquito batches and 140 horses in 96 Illinois counties have tested positive this year for the virus since surveillance for the mosquito-transmitted virus began on May 1. Scott County was added to the list of counties today with the confirmation by the Illinois Department of Agriculture Laboratory that a blue jay and crow from that county have tested positive for West Nile 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 2 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.