Another Illinoisan dies of West Nile

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- One more person in Illinois has died of West Nile virus, bringing to 22 the number of people in the state who have died this year after contracting the mosquito-borne virus, health officials announced Wednesday.

The state Department of Public Health also announced 25 new cases of the virus, bringing the state's total to 424. Illinois apparently leads the nation in both the number of cases and deaths, although some states do not update their numbers regularly.

Wednesday, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 16,640 cases nationwide, including 80 deaths. That did not include the updated Illinois figures.

The most recently reported death was a 72-year-old woman from southern Cook County. She was hospitalized Sept. 9 with West Nile encephalitis and died Tuesday, the health department reported.

Of the 22 deaths, 16 have been from Cook County. DuPage, Effingham, Macon, Madison, Moultrie and Sangamon counties have each reported one death. The department also reported the first human case in Winnebago County.