SPRINGFIELD (WSIL) � The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has confirmed the first human West Nile virus-related death in the state for 2020.
IDPH says a Chicago resident who became ill in mid-September and tested positive for West Nile virus has died.
Health officials say 24 human cases of West Nile virus have been reported in Illinois this year. Last year, IDPH recorded 28 human cases, including one death.
West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito. Common symptoms include fever, nausea, headache and muscle aches that may last a few days to a few weeks. However, IDPH says four out of five people infected with the virus will not show any symptoms.
In 2019, 46 of Illinois' 102 counties reported a West Nile virus positive mosquito batch, bird, horse, and/or human case.
