Two people have died from the West Nile virus in New Jersey, raising the total number of reported deaths in the United States to five.

Two people in New Jersey have died from the West Nile virus, state health officials announced on Friday. This brings the total number of reported deaths in the U.S. during this mosquito season to five.

In addition to the New Jersey deaths, health officials confirmed that two people in eastern Wisconsin and one person in northeastern Illinois have also died from West Nile virus. A third individual in Wisconsin has been hospitalized due to the virus, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. The affected individuals in Wisconsin reside in Outagamie, Fond du Lac, and Brown counties.

In Lake County, Illinois, three people tested positive for the virus over the past week, according to the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center. One of the victims, who experienced symptoms in mid-August, passed away shortly after falling ill.

"Sadly, Illinois is reporting our first death of the year attributed to West Nile virus," stated Dr. Sameer Vohra, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). "This death, along with the six that occurred last year in Illinois, serves as a stark reminder that West Nile virus poses a serious risk, particularly to older adults and individuals with weakened immune systems."

West Nile virus is primarily transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 33 states have recorded a total of 289 cases of West Nile in 2024. The virus typically emerges during mosquito season, which begins in summer and continues through the fall.

Dr. Anthony Fauci recently shared that he is recovering from West Nile virus. The former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who led the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic, revealed to CBS News that he likely contracted the virus after being bitten by a mosquito in his backyard. Fauci was hospitalized with symptoms including fever, chills, and severe fatigue.

While most people infected with West Nile virus do not show symptoms, about 1 in 5 may experience fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash, according to the CDC. In rare cases, approximately 1 out of 150 infected individuals develop severe and sometimes fatal illness. There are currently no vaccines or specific treatments for West Nile virus.

Wisconsin typically reports an average of 18 West Nile virus cases each year. This year, the virus has been detected in mosquitoes, animals, and even healthy blood donors whose blood tested positive for West Nile virus, according to state health officials.

West Nile virus was first detected in the U.S. in 1999 in New York and has since spread across the country.