Health Officials Confirm Fatal West Nile Cases in Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (Civic Media) — Wisconsin health officials reported Thursday that two people have died from West Nile virus, marking the state’s first fatalities linked to the mosquito-borne illness this year.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services confirmed three human cases of West Nile virus in residents of Outagamie, Fond du Lac, and Brown counties. Two of those individuals died, while the third was hospitalized.

Officials also detected the virus in mosquitoes, animals, and healthy blood donors whose blood screened positive for West Nile.

“Although people with weakened immune systems tend to be at greatest risk, severe West Nile virus can occur in people of all ages,” said Traci DeSalvo, director of the DHS Bureau of Communicable Diseases.

The announcement comes as neighboring Illinois reported its first West Nile virus death of 2024 — an 80-year-old Lake County resident who died in mid-August.

Health officials are urging residents to take precautions against mosquito bites, including using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and eliminating standing water where mosquitoes breed.

West Nile virus symptoms can include fever, headache, and rash, though most people infected do not show symptoms.