Suburban Cook County man dies of West Nile virus
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A man is dead after contracting the West Nile virus – in the first reported case and death in Illinois this year.
The Cook County Department of Health said a suburban Cook County resident in his late 70s got sick with West Nile in early August and later died. West Nile was a contributing factor.
"The kids may be going back to school, but the mosquitoes are still out," CCDPH Chief Operating Officer Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck said in a news release. "West Nile virus is a risk until the first hard frost, so we still need to take precautions, especially at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active."
West Nile virus is caused by a mosquito bite. Common symptoms include a fever, nausea, headache, and muscle aches, the CCDPH noted. Four out of five people who get infected will be asymptomatic.
In rare instances, neuroinvasive illness such as meningitis or encephalitis – and even death – can occur.