West Nile Case Confirmed in Chicago

Public health officials Thursday confirmed the first case of mosquito-borne West Nile disease in Chicago, bringing to four the number of Illinois cases.

A 56-year-old South Side woman, whose name was not released, developed symptoms including a high fever July 25 and was hospitalized with encephalitis, the Chicago Tribune said.

While West Nile has been confirmed in at least two people in northern Illinois this week, the case is the first inside city limits this summer

State and local officials stepped up spraying in the city this week and plan more mosquito abatement this weekend on the far north and south sides.

Illinois led the nation with 884 cases of West Nile disease and 67 deaths in 2002, but that fell to 60 cases and four deaths last year.