A person in their 90s is the first Cook County resident to die of West Nile virus this year, Illinois Department of Public Health officials announced Wednesday.
The department did not state the gender or home community of the person but said in a news release, the individual had first shown symptoms of the virus in early August and died shortly afterward.
There have been 12 more nonfatal cases reported to state public health authorities. Of those cases, seven were Cook County residents. Kane, Macon, Madison, Will and Woodford counties have each reported one human case.
West Nile virus is transmitted through mosquitoes that have fed on an infected bird. Seven people in Illinois died from West Nile virus-related illnesses in 2022 and another 26 infections were reported to state public health officials.
The youngest infected person reported to state health authorities last year was 26. The median age for infected people was 64.
The death was a “stark reminder” of the risk the virus poses to older adults and people with compromised immune systems and urged Illinoisans to take precautions against possibly infectious mosquito bites, Dr. Sameer Vohra, state health director, said in the release.
“Please protect yourself and your loved ones by reducing exposures, repelling insects with clothing and repellents, and reporting locations at high risk for producing mosquitoes,” Vohra said.
The public is encouraged to make sure that doors and windows remain shut tightly, to wear mosquito repellent, avoid standing water where mosquitoes may breed and report instances of standing water to municipal authorities.
Four of every five people infected with the virus will not exhibit symptoms, which can range from a fever, muscle aches and headache and nausea to brain infections or paralysis in serious cases.
This year so far, there have been 1,817 reports for virus-positive mosquitoes and 13 positive birds from 42 counties. The first report of mosquitoes with West Nile virus came out of Evanston on May 30.
There is not currently a vaccine or a treatment for West Nile virus.
