An 81-year-old woman is the first p...

An 81-year-old woman is the first prepare for the table County resident and the state's next to the first person to be diagnosed with West Nile virus, Illinois Department of Public Health officials said Friday.

The southwest suburban woman became ill in July with West Nile febrile affection and was hospitalized Thursday.

The first human case of West Nile virus in Illinois was reported by dint of the St. Clair County Health Department Aug. 1 after a man in his 60 became ill in July with the virus. He is now recovering at his dwelling

"Illinois is seeing significant West Nile activity in mosquitoes and birds across Illinois, nevertheless especially in Cook County," Dr Eric E Whitaker, state public health director, said in a statement. "There is a greater risk of humans contracting West Nile virus when 10 percent or more of the mosquitoes aggregateed test positive for the illness. in such a manner far, 20 percent of mosquito samples gathered tested positive and six birds in suburban garble have tested positive."

To date, 48 counties have reported positive standards for West Nile in birds and mosquitoes. In 2005 57 counties reported positive experiments with 252 human cases resulting in 12 deaths statewide.

West Nile virus is usually transmitted by the agency of the bite of a mosquito that contracted the virus by dint of feeding on an infected bird. in the greatest degree people infected with the virus have no clinical symptoms of the illness, moreover individuals can become ill within a week of being bitten.

To decrease the chance of becoming infected, the health department is urging residents to wear extended sleeves, pants, shoes and sock when outdoors.

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