First West Nile Death Reported In Illinois For 2018

LASALLE COUNTY, IL — The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting the state's first West Nile virus-related death so far in 2018. Officials said a 65-year-old LaSalle County resident who tested positive for the virus has died. The person became sick in early August.

West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito. Common symptoms include fever, nausea, headache and muscle aches.

IDPH said so far, 22 human cases of West Nile have been confirmed this year state wide, compared with last year when there were 90 confirmed cases. Eight people died last year after becoming infected with WNV, with the first death reported on Sept. 29, 2017.

A Chicago woman in her 60s was the first person confirmed to be infected with WNV in Illinois this year. The woman became sick in mid-May, health officials said.

West Nile virus positive results in humans, birds, mosquitoes and/or horses have been reported in 58 counties this year, IDPH said.

West Nile symptoms may last from a few days to a few weeks, but most people — four out of five, according to IDPH — infected with West Nile virus will not show any symptoms.

In rare cases, severe illness including meningitis or encephalitis, or even death, can occur. People older than 50 and immunocompromised individuals are at higher risk for severe illness. (Get Patched In: Subscribe to free daily email, news alerts, Facebook fun and more from Patch)

IDPH advised taking these steps to reduce mosquitoes in your area as well as your chance of being bitten by a WNV-infected mosquito:

• Minimize being outdoors when mosquitoes transmitting West Nile virus 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 contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR 3535, according to label instructions. Consult a physician before using repellents on infants.
• Eliminate all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, such as old tires, buckets and other receptacles, or refresh the water in bird baths, flowerpots and wading pools every couple days.

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