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Common house mosquito (Credit: Illinois Department of Public Health)

CHICAGO (CBS) The West Nile virus is back. State health officials have confirmed two human cases in the northwest suburbs.

Both cases are women in their 60s. One is from Des Plaines, the other from Rolling Meadows.

CBS 2s Mike Parker reports officials have been spraying pesticide to kill off West Nile-carrying mosquitoes in several areas.

The Chicago Department of Public Health sprayed in the Auburn-Gresham neighborhood in the 18th Ward, as well as the neighboring 21st Ward.

Public Health Commissioner Dr. Bechara Choucair said, when our mosquito traps indicate that the West Nile virus may threaten human health, its time to take decisive action.

Tuesday and Wednesday night, city crews will spray a chemical called Zenivex, an EPA-approved killer of the northern house mosquito, which can carry West Nile.

For weeks now, scientists have been noticing that mosquitoes infected with the virus have been turning up in their traps, often bred in standing water.

Now, for the first time this year, there are people in the hospital being treated for the disease. Normally, the first human cases of West Nile arent seen in Illinois until August.

Dr. Linda Rae Murray, the chief medical officer for the Cook County Public Health Department said, The only reason to hospitalize them is if theyre feeling so ill, and if they have headaches, and theyre having trouble breathing, and we want to be supportive of them in the hospital.

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State Sees First Human Cases Of West Nile Virus