What to know about West Nile virus after first human case detected in Illinois While some Chicago-area counties have reported mosquitoes testing positive so far this year, the first human case of ...

To date, there have been two dozen human cases of West Nile virus reported in Illinois this year, per officials. Some 28 cases were reported in 2019, including one death.

The first West Nile virus-related death in Illinois in 2023 also had an onset of symptoms in August, the agency reported. Last year, there were six deaths and 119 nonfatal cases reported.

The state's public health director reported Thursday there's been a second known human case of the West Nile virus in Illinois. Doctor John Lumpkin says the 57-year-old Madison County man became ...

The Illinois Department of Public Health on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, confirmed the first human death from the West Nile virus in the state so far this year. (iStock)

“Sadly, Illinois is reporting our first death of the year attributed to West Nile virus,” said Dr. Sameer Vohra, director of the state health department, in a news release.