DuPage County reports year’s first human case of West Nile virus

DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. - DuPage County has reported its first human case of West Nile virus this year.

A Lombard resident in her 40s became ill in late August, the DuPage County Health Department said in a statement.

So far in Illinois, there have been four human cases of West Nile virus in 2019, the health department said.

“A recent increase in mosquito batches testing positive for the presence of [West Nile virus] prompted the DuPage County Health Department to encourage county residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites and the risk of contracting” the virus, the department said in the statement.

Illinois’ first human case of West Nile in 2019 was reported in Chicago. A Chicago man in his 70s came down with the illness in late July, according to state health officials.

The virus is transmitted to people by infected mosquitoes. About one in five people who are infected with West Nile develop symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash, the health department said. Less than 1% develop a serious neurologic illness such as encephalitis or meningitis.