Champaign County records first human case of West Nile Virus

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The City of Champaign and Champaign County as a whole have recorded their first human case of West Nile Virus in 2024.

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District said human cases would be probable after it upgraded the county’s West Nile alert status at the start of the month . Now, a Champaign resident in their 60s has tested positive, health officials said.

Champaign County is the third county in Central Illinois to record at least one human case, after Christian and Coles Counties recorded one each. There are a total of 43 cases statewide and at least one death .

Julie Pryde, the CUPHD’s Administrator, said that even though it is late summer, mosquitoes are still active and people need to continue to protect themselves.

“While we’re seeing cooler temperatures, mosquitoes remain active until the first hard freeze,” she explained.

There are no vaccines or medicines that can prevent infection. The best way to protect oneself from being bitten by potentially infected mosquitoes is to use insect repellent and wear clothing that covers most of the skin, including pants, socks and long-sleeved shirts.

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