JOLIET, Ill. (Sun-Times Media Wire) -
Will County's human West Nile virus case count rose to three early Tuesday with the addition of laboratory-confirmed infections from Bolingbrook and Crest Hill.
A Crest Hill man in his late 60s was hospitalized Aug. 26, three days after reporting headaches, fever, a rash, back pain, confusion and an altered mental state. He was discharged from hospital Aug. 30, and his illness is classified as West Nile virus encephalitis.
A Bolingbrook woman in her mid-50s was hospitalized Sept. 1, two days after reporting symptoms. She was discharged from hospital Sept. 6, and her illness has been classified as West Nile virus fever.
Will County's first human confirmation of 2012 was a Romeoville woman in her 40s who was hospitalized Aug. 7 and discharged Aug. 15.
Through Sept. 17, 95 Illinois residents had been confirmed as West Nile virus-positive. The 2012 Illinois case count represents an increase of more than 179 percent over 2011 levels.
Nationally, human West Nile cases are up more than 270 percent over 2011 levels, and fatalities have increased by more than 174 percent.
