SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Two cases of West Nile disease from Whiteside County have pushed the statewide total this year for the mosquito-borne disease to 52, Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, state public health director, today reported.

Dr. Whitaker said the cases were:

• a 48-year-old woman with West Nile fever who became ill July 22, but did not require hospitalization; and
• a 51-year-old male with West Nile fever who became ill July 25, but did not require hospitalization.

The state's West Nile disease cases this year, which include one death - a 78-year-old woman from suburban Cook County - are from the city of Chicago (4), suburban Cook County (16), DuPage County (3), Madison County (2), Piatt (3), Sangamon County (4), Whiteisde (3), Will County (3) and one each from Bureau, Champaign, DeKalb, Lake, LaSalle, Macon, Macoupin, McDonough, McLean, Richland, Rock Island, St. Clair, Vermilion and Winnebago counties.

In 2002, Illinois had the most West Nile disease cases in the nation with 884 and 66 deaths and, as of this date last year, the state had reported 761 West Nile human cases and 48 deaths.

Additional information about West Nile virus can be found on the Department's Web site http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/wnv.htm or by calling the Department's West Nile virus hotline at 1-866-369-9710.