A man in his 50s from Oak Lawn became ill late last month with the virus; he was hospitalized but was released and is recovering. The virus is widespread in suburban Cook County with 208 mosquito pools and five dead birds having tested positive for West Nile virus.
Most people infected with WNV have no symptoms of illness and never become ill. But illness can occur three to 15 days after an infected mosquito bite and cause symptoms of fever, headache and body aches.