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Four cases of West Nile Virus confirmed in Kane County

The Kane County Health Department is advising that four cases of West Nile virus have been confirmed in the county so far this year. The cases were diagnosed in September and all four men have since recovered.

The cases include: a 71-year-old and 41-year-old from Elgin, a 57-year-old from Aurora, and a 29-year-old from Montgomery.

Late summer and early fall are the times when we are likely to see human cases of West Nile virus. Although it is now getting late is the season, the risk of West Nile virus exists until the first hard frost.

You can find historical Kane County West Nile virus data from this year and past years by visiting kanehealth.com/west_nile.htm.

The West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Most people with the virus have no clinical symptoms of illness, but some may become ill three to 14 days after the bite of an infected mosquito.

Only about two persons out of 10 who are bitten by an infected mosquito will experience any illness. Illness from West Nile is usually mild and includes fever, headache and body aches, but serious illness, such as encephalitis and meningitis, and death are possible. Persons older than 50 years of age have the highest risk of severe disease.

The best way to prevent West Nile disease or any other mosquito-borne illness is to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home and to take personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Precautions include:

• Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn. Use prevention methods whenever mosquitoes are present.

• When outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and apply insect repellent that includes DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus according to label instructions. Consult a physician before using repellents on infants.

• Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings. Try to keep doors and windows shut, especially at night.

• Change water in birdbaths weekly. Properly maintain wading pools and stock ornamental ponds with fish. Cover rain barrels with 16-mesh wire screen. In communities where there are organized mosquito control programs, contact your municipal government to report areas of stagnant water in roadside ditches, flooded yards and similar locations that may produce mosquitoes.

Additional information about West Nile virus can be found on the Kane County Health Department's website at www.kanehealth.com/west_nile.htm or the Illinois Department of Public Health's website at www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/wnv.htm.

People also can call the Illinois Department of Public Health West Nile virus hotline at (866) 369-9710, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

In active partnership with our community, the Kane County Health Department improves the quality of life and well-being of all residents by developing and implementing local policies, systems, and services that protect and promote health, and prevent disease, injury and disability.

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