The Chicago Department of Public Health on Tuesday announced two human cases and one death from the West Nile virus in the city this year, and one of those two people has died
No other details were provided about the cases or the person who died
This comes five days after the first human case of West Nile in Illinois was confirmed in downstate Piatt County. The CDPH reported that the Illinois Department of Public Health has also confirmed several additional West Nile cases in Illinois
“2026 has seen the rainiest summer in Chicago in years, giving mosquitoes ample opportunities to breed,” CDPH Commissioner Dr. Garth Walker said in a news release. “The best way to protect yourself from West Nile virus is to avoid mosquito bites and take measures to stop them from breeding around your home.”
The Chicago Department of Public Health has sprayed for mosquitoes in several communities over the past several weeks. The West Nile virus risk in Chicago is currently rated moderate, the department said
The department advises Chicagoans to:
- Use Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellent with ingredients such as DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
- Eliminate standing water.
- Keep grass and weeds short so mosquitoes can’t hide.
- Wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing that keeps skin covered when out between dusk and dawn.
- Make sure all screens, windows, and doors are tight-fitting and without holes, and use air conditioning rather than opening windows when possible.
- Consider avoiding outdoor activity during peak mosquito hours if immunocompromised.
West Nile virus is spread to humans through bites from mosquitoes that have contracted the virus by feeding on infected birds
Most cases of West Nile virus in humans are either mild, or show no symptoms, meaning many cases go unreported. Eight out of 10 people infected do not develop symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The worst year in Illinois for West Nile was 2002, when there were 884 cases across the state, and 67 deaths — 42 of them in Cook County.
