Suburban Cook County resident has year’s first human case of West Nile virus

The Illinois Department of Public Health has identified the first human case of West Nile virus so far this year, the agency said Wednesday.

Commercial testing and clinical symptoms indicate a resident of suburban Cook County contracted the mosquito-borne illness, state public health officials reported. Confirmatory testing is still pending. The person, who is in their 60s, developed symptoms in mid-June.

“Summer in Illinois means mosquitoes, and these mosquitoes increase our risk of contracting vector-borne illnesses like West Nile Virus,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a written statement. “We encourage all Illinois residents to ‘Fight the Bite’ and protect themselves and their loves ones from insect bites that can cause potentially serious illnesses.”

Last year, Illinois saw 119 reported human cases of the virus — up from just 34 in 2022. Six deaths were attributed to West Nile, compared to seven the year prior.

People older than 50 and those who are immunocompromised are at greater risk for severe illness.

To guard against mosquito bites, experts say you should wear long pants, a light-colored, long-sleeved shirt, shoes and socks when outdoors. Be sure to apply EPA-registered insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR 3535 according to label instructions.

People also should eliminate (or refresh each week) all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, including in bird baths, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires and other containers.