West Nile Virus

Officials in the Chicago suburb of Lombard say longtime village President William Mueller has died of complications from the West Nile virus. The Chicago Sun-Times reports Mueller was hospitalized on Aug. 5 and died Saturday. He was 76, and had served as village president since 1993. The virus is striking people earlier this year because the weather created good breeding conditions for the mosquito that carries the virus. Last year, Illinois’ first human case wasn’t reported until Aug. 19. That year, there were 34 cases, including three deaths.