Chicago has recorded its first West Nile virus death of 2026. The Chicago Department of Public Health confirmed two human cases in the city and said one of the patients died, the city's first fatality from the mosquito-borne virus this year. No identifying information about the patient who died was released.
The announcement lands during the weeks when West Nile transmission peaks nationally. Late August and September are historically the most dangerous stretch of the season, and the city is entering that window with standing water in unusual abundance.
