IDPH reports first Illinois West Nile virus death of 2023

CHICAGO, Ill. (KFVS) - The Illinois Department of Public Health has announced the first Illinois human West Nile virus-related death of 2023.

Testing by the CDC confirmed the case was WNV-related. The individual, who was in their 90′s and lived in suburban Cook County, had an onset of WNV symptoms in early August and died soon after.

IDPH is also reported 11 non-fatal cases of WNV confirmed to date this year. Of the 12 human cases, seven were reported from Cook County, two in Chicago. There was also one reported case each in Kane, Macon, Madison, Will and Woodford counties.

The first WNV-related death in Illinois in 2022 also had an onset of symptoms in early August. In 2022, there were seven deaths from WNV confirmed in Illinois and 26 non-fatal cases reported. The youngest person to report a case in Illinois last year was 26-years-old, while the median age of human cases was 64.

West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a Culex mosquito, also called a typical mosquito, which has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Common symptoms include fever, nausea, headache and muscle aches. Symptoms may last from a few days to a few weeks, and most infected will not show any symptoms. People older than 50 and immunocompromised individuals are at higher risk for severe illness.

There is no treatment for WNV nor is there a vaccine, therefore it is important people minimize their risk of catching the virus. IDPH encourages the public to take the following steps:

REDUCE - Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings. Try to keep doors and windows shut. Eliminate, or refresh each week, all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, including water in bird baths, ponds, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires, and any other containers.
REPEL - When outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a light-colored, long-sleeved shirt, and apply an EPA-registered insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR 3535 according to label instructions. The CDC does not recommend use of products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol on children under 3 years old. Consult a physician before using repellents on children under 3.
REPORT - Report locations where you see water sitting stagnant for more than a week such as roadside ditches, flooded yards, and similar locations that may produce mosquitoes. The local health department or city government may be able to add larvicide to the water, which will kill any mosquito larvae.