Will County reports first human case of West Nile Virus of the summer

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Thursday that Will County has its first human case of West Nile Virus this season.

A 74-year-old male from Naperville has been diagnosed with West Nile neuroinvasive disease. He became ill the first week of August, was hospitalized, and is recovering, according to a news release from the health department.

The Will County Health Department’s Environmental Health Division also has reported that mosquito batches in eight different Will County communities have tested positive for WNV this summer.

IDPH reported a total of 12 human cases of WNV have now been detected throughout the state. In addition to the case in Will County, seven were reported in Cook County while Kane, Macon, Madison and Woodford counties all reported one positive case.

Additionally, IDPH announced the first human WNV-related death in the state of Illinois. An individual, who was in their 90s and lived in suburban Cook County, had an onset of symptoms of WNV in early August and died soon after, according to the Will County Health Department.

“We are sad to report the first death of the year from West Nile virus in Illinois,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said. “This death and the 11 additional cases are a stark reminder that West Nile virus poses a serious risk, especially to older people and those with weakened immune systems. While the weather is warm and mosquitoes are breeding, we should all take precautions to ‘Fight the Bite.’ Please protect yourself and your loved ones by reducing exposures, repelling insects with clothing and repellants, and reporting locations at high risk for producing mosquitoes.”

So far in 2023, there have been 1,817 WNV-positive mosquito batches and 13 positive birds from 42 counties throughout the state.

In Will County, mosquitoes trapped in Crete, Frankfort, Bolingbrook, Plainfield, Lockport, Joliet, Homer Glen and Mokena have tested positive for WNV this summer. Additionally, the first dead bird to test positive for WNV was recently collected in Plainfield.

WNV typically causes mild, flu-like symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 8 out of 10 infected with West Nile virus do not develop any symptoms, according to the county health department.

About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever with other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash. Most people who develop symptoms from WNV recover completely, but fatigue and weakness can last for weeks or months, according to the health department.

However, according to the CDC, about 1 in 150 people who are infected develop a severe illness that affects the central nervous system, such as inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord [meningitis).

Severe illness can occur in people of any age, however people older than 60 years of age are at greater risk for severe illness if they are infected, according to the IDPH.

People with certain medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and people who have received organ transplants, are at greater risk.

Because there is no vaccine available to prevent West Nile virus, it is important to avoid mosquito bites, according to the IDPH.