Two more human West Nile cases in DuPage

Two more cases of West Nile virus in humans have been reported in DuPage County, bringing the total to three so far this summer.

The initial case, reported last week, involved an 80-year-old woman from Darien. The most recent cases involve women in their 40s from Warrenville and Naperville, DuPage County Health Department officials said Monday.

Roughly one in five people who are infected with West Nile develop symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. Less than 1 percent develop a serious neurological illness such as encephalitis or meningitis, an inflammation of the brain or surrounding tissues.

The health department has increased the Personal Protection Index to 3, which indicates that the risk for West Nile is high. The PPI widget is found on the department's website at www.dupagehealth.org/PPI and provides the most up-to-date information on West Nile activity.

The threat of West Nile decreases in the fall once cooler temperatures arrive and especially after the first frost of the season.