First DuPage West Nile Death of 2011 Reported in Westmont

A 70-year-old Westmont woman has died from West Nile Virus, the DuPage County Health Department confirmed Tuesday.

This is the first death from West Nile reported in DuPage County this year and the second death in Illinois.

A Cook County man in his 60s died from the virus earlier in September, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) said. The health department is not releasing any other information about the deaths.

There have been 10 West Nile infections in Illinois this year, IDPH said. In addition to the cases in Cook and DuPage counties, people tested positive for West Nile in Winnebago, Coles, Marion and Franklin counties, IDPH said.

Mosquitoes caught in traps in Westmont have tested positive for West Nile on four occasions since Aug. 16, the DuPage Health Department reported. Three tests have found infected mosquitoes in Clarendon Hills traps. Tests have come back positive on two occasions in Downers Grove and Hinsdale.

No mosquitoes caught in Darien, Burr Ridge or Glen Ellyn traps have tested positive for the virus this season.

West Nile Virus is passed on when an infected mosquito bites a person, the health department said.

The majority of people bitten by a West-Nile-positive mosquito never become sick, but people over 50 and those who have a chronic illness are more susceptible to the virus.

People of any age, however, may become sick. Symptoms typically emerge three to 15 days after the bite.

The health department offers these tips for protecting yourself:

• Apply mosquito repellent containing 20-35 percent DEET primarily to clothing. Concentrations of 10% or less are indicated for children. Use sparingly on exposed skin.
• Limit time outdoors when mosquito activity is heaviest (dusk through dawn)
• Keep skin covered if outdoors between dusk and dawn. Wear long-sleeved shirts, pants and socks.
• Be sure screens in homes are intact and tight fitting to prevent entry of insects.
• Keep gutters around home cleared of debris and in good repair.
• Eliminate any containers that may hold water from around the outside of the home. Water that is allowed to stagnate for three or four days becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Source: DuPage County Health Department