First human West Nile Virus case diagnosed in Boone County

BELVIDERE – A woman in her early 80s has been confirmed as a Boone County human case of West Nile Fever on Monday, Sept. 14.

Boone County Health Administrator Cindy Frank reports that confirming laboratory tests received by the Boone County Health Department on Monday, Sept. 14, and the Health Department’s Communicable Disease staff immediately began reviewing the patient’s health history and travel history before the onset of symptoms.

“It is hard to say where this individual may have contracted the virus. However, we know that the virus is present in many counties in Illinois, including Boone County, and everyone who spends time outdoors should take precautions against mosquito bites,” Frank said.

Illinois Department of Public Health reported the first human case of West Nile Virus in Illinois in 2015 on Aug. 15. In 2014, there were 44 human cases, including four deaths.

West Nile Virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus from feeding on an infected bird.

Common symptoms include fever, nausea, headache, and muscle aches. Symptoms may last from a few days to a few weeks.

However, four out of five people infected with West Nile Virus will not show any symptoms. In rare cases, severe illness including meningitis or encephalitis, or even death, can occur. People older than 50 and immunocompromised individuals are at higher risk for severe illness from West Nile Virus.

Additional information about West Nile Virus can be found on the Illinois Department of Public Health’s website at www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/wnv.html.

You may also call the Department’s West Nile Virus hotline at (866) 369-9710. They are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.