Illinois Department of Public Health officials now say 45 people have contracted West Nile virus in the state so far this year. That's up from 28 last Thursday.
Federal health officials say that West Nile virus cases in America are on pace to rival the record years of 2002 and 2003. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed more than 1,5000 cases of the mosquito-borne disease and 66 deaths so far this year.
Half of the cases are in Texas.
For consumers concerned about West Nile virus and ticks, Consumer Reports has made its Ratings of best insect repellents available online at www.ConsumerReports.org.
