Illinois Already Has Its First 2016 Case Of West Nile Virus

By Mae Rice in News on Jun 6, 2016 6:59PM

(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Illinois' first reported case of West Nile virus came unusually early this year, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced today. An adolescent in West-Central Illinois was diagnosed with the disease late last month. In 2015, the first reported case of West Nile virus didn't occur until August 19.

“This first human case is much earlier this year, reminding us that it’s important to protect ourselves against mosquito bites now and not wait until the hotter months of summer," a doctor with the IDPH said in a statement.The disease is typically transmitted to humans via bites from house mosquitoes, who contract the disease by feeding on infected birds. The first West Nile-infected bird found in Illinois this year was found in Arcola Township on May 20; the first mosquitoes infected with the disease were found soon after, in Glenview, on May 23.

Zika virus is also transmitted via mosquito, but by a different breed that's extremely rare in Illinois. Though Illinois has had at least one documented case of Zika virus this year, it's much less of a concern for us than West Nile—both because West Nile is more common and more deadly, as a Field Museum mosquito expert explained to us back in March.

In 2015, there were a total of 77 documented cases of West Nile virus in Illinois, and nine West Nile fatalities, according to the IDPH. Four out of five people who contract West Nile show no symptoms, but select people—especially people older than 50 or with compromised immune systems—can suffer severe illness and death due to West Nile.