CHICAGO (AP) — Health officials have confirmed the season’s first human case of the mosquito-borne West Nile virus in Cook County.
Cook County Department of Public Health officials said Thursday that a woman in her 50s from the northwest suburbs got sick in late July.
Testing has found pools of mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus in 57 communities throughout the county.
Health officials recommend wearing mosquito repellent when outside between dusk and dawn. It’s important to remove standing water around homes and to repair or replace broken screens on windows.
Many people infected with West Nile virus never get sick, but the virus can be a problem for people over age 50 and those with chronic diseases. Last year, state health officials reported 77 human cases, including nine deaths.
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