STATE’S SECOND WEST NILE DISEASE FATALITY REPORTED

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, state public health director, today announced the state’s second fatality this year due to West Nile infection is a 61-year-old woman from suburban Cook County.

Dr. Whitaker said the woman, who was reported as a case earlier this month, died Sept. 23 after being hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.The state’s other West Nile death was a 58-year-old man from DuPage County who died Sept. 1.

In addition to the fatality, Dr. Whitaker reported two other West Nile human cases have brought the state’s caseload this year to 42. In 2003, Illinois recorded 54 West Nile disease human cases, including one death, and in 2002, the state led the nation with 884 cases and 66 deaths.

A 64-year-old man from DuPage County who became ill in mid-September with West Nile encephalitis, was hospitalized and has been discharged.

A 76-year-old man from Sangamon County who became ill in late August with West Nile fever, was hospitalized and has been discharged.

Human cases of West Nile disease reported this year have been from the city of Chicago (3), and Adams, Boone, Clinton (2), suburban Cook (9), DuPage (5), Ford, Fulton, Hancock, Jackson, Jo Daviess, Kane (2), Kendall, LaSalle (4), McLean, Rock Island, Sangamon (2), St. Clair (3) and Will (2) counties.

In addition to the human cases, a total of 222 birds, 1,114 mosquito pools, two horses and one alpaca have been identified this year with West Nile virus.

Dr. Whitaker reminded people to take simple, common sense precautions to avoid mosquito bites and protect themselves from West Nile disease. These include:

Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn.
When outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and apply insect repellent that includes DEET according to label instructions. Consult a physician before using repellents on young children.
Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings.
Eliminate all sources of standing water that can support mosquito breeding, including water in bird baths, ponds, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires and any other receptacles.

WNV is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Most people with the virus have no clinical symptoms of illness, but some may become ill three to 14 days after the bite of an infected mosquito.

Only about two persons out of 10 who are bitten by an infected mosquito will experience any illness. Illness from West Nile is usually mild and includes fever, headache and body aches, but serious illness, such as encephalitis and meningitis, and death are possible. Persons over 50 years of age have the highest risk of severe disease .

Additional information about West Nile virus can be found on the Department's Web site at www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/wnv.htm or people can call the Department’s West Nile virus hotline (866-369-9710) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

September 29, 2004	2004 West Nile Virus Web site

STATE’S SECOND WEST NILE DISEASE FATALITY REPORTED SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, state public health director, today announced the state’s second fatality this year due to West Nile infection is a 61-year-old woman from suburban Cook County. Dr. Whitaker said the woman, who was reported as a case earlier this month, died Sept. 23 after being hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis.The state’s other West Nile death was a 58-year-old man from DuPage County who died Sept. 1. In addition to the fatality, Dr. Whitaker reported two other West Nile human cases have brought the state’s caseload this year to 42. In 2003, Illinois recorded 54 West Nile disease human cases, including one death, and in 2002, the state led the nation with 884 cases and 66 deaths. Dr. Whitaker said the latest cases are: A 64-year-old man from DuPage County who became ill in mid-September with West Nile encephalitis, was hospitalized and has been discharged. A 76-year-old man from Sangamon County who became ill in late August with West Nile fever, was hospitalized and has been discharged. Human cases of West Nile disease reported this year have been from the city of Chicago (3), and Adams, Boone, Clinton (2), suburban Cook (9), DuPage (5), Ford, Fulton, Hancock, Jackson, Jo Daviess, Kane (2), Kendall, LaSalle (4), McLean, Rock Island, Sangamon (2), St. Clair (3) and Will (2) counties. In addition to the human cases, a total of 222 birds, 1,114 mosquito pools, two horses and one alpaca have been identified this year with West Nile virus. Dr. Whitaker reminded people to take simple, common sense precautions to avoid mosquito bites and protect themselves from West Nile disease. These include: Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn. When outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and apply insect repellent that includes DEET according to label instructions. Consult a physician before using repellents on young children. Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings. Eliminate all sources of standing water that can support mosquito breeding, including water in bird baths, ponds, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires and any other receptacles. WNV is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Most people with the virus have no clinical symptoms of illness, but some may become ill three to 14 days after the bite of an infected mosquito. Only about two persons out of 10 who are bitten by an infected mosquito will experience any illness. Illness from West Nile is usually mild and includes fever, headache and body aches, but serious illness, such as encephalitis and meningitis, and death are possible. Persons over 50 years of age have the highest risk of severe disease . Additional information about West Nile virus can be found on the Department's Web site at www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/wnv.htm or people can call the Department’s West Nile virus hotline (866-369-9710) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.