West Nile virus kills two more in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Two more people have died after contracting West Nile virus, raising the number of fatalities from the illness in Illinois to four, state health officials said Tuesday.

The most recent deaths were an 83-year-old man from Chicago, who died Aug. 21, and a 92-year-old woman from northern Cook County, who died Aug. 24. Both had West Nile encephalitis, and the man had other medical conditions that might have contributed to his death, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Department spokesman Tom Schafer said the 83-year-old man had hypertension and diabetes, and that his age was considered a risk factor.

The deaths were among 11 new cases of West Nile virus announced by the state Tuesday. There have been 71 human cases reported in Illinois.

18 new cases

The state announced 19 new cases Monday but revised that to 18 Tuesday after realizing officials had included a previously reported case.

The new nonfatal cases included seven from suburban Cook County, one from Chicago and one from Madison County in Southern Illinois. Of those, four people were hospitalized, and the state had no more information on the others.

In keeping with department policy, those afflicted were not named.

Human cases have been identified in Chicago and 10 Illinois counties.

"Everything I see says we're going to continue to see more cases and we'll see them well into September," said Dr. John Lumpkin, the state's public health director.

He said outbreaks of West Nile seem to cluster in certain areas. Fifty of the 71 cases are from Chicago and Cook County.

The health department said hot, humid weather conditions in recent weeks have been ideal for breeding the Culex or house mosquito, which can carry West Nile or the St. Louis encephalitis virus. As a result, there has been a jump in the number of positive birds, horses and mosquitoes.