BATON ROUGE, La., Sep 26, 2002 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Louisiana public health officials Thursday reported three more deaths from West Nile virus and nearly two dozen new human cases, including a 6-week-old baby, the youngest victim of the mosquito-borne disease this year.

Twenty-six new human cases were confirmed by the state's health laboratory during the past week, including three new deaths. There have been a total of 14 deaths and 287 cases in Louisiana, which was being drenched by torrential rains from tropical storm Isidore. The new cases include a 46-day-old infant in Avoyelles Parish who was diagnosed with meningoencephalitis on Sept. 10. The child has recovered and is at home.

Officials believe the baby was the youngest person in the United States to have contracted West Nile virus.

David Hood, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals secretary, also expressed concern the heavy rains may reverse progress the state had made in the recent weeks in controlling the outbreak.

"Heavy rains create ideal conditions for increased mosquito breeding, causing not only a nuisance, but raising the potential for reinvigorating the outbreak," he said.

Illinois reported a dozen new human cases of illness, but no new fatalities, bringing the total caseload in the state to 551, with 29 deaths. Two of the latest cases were in Chicago and seven from the suburbs.

Indiana Department of Public Health officials reported 26 probable West Nile virus cases Wednesday. Blood samples sent the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta should determine whether an elderly Lake County resident died of the illness.

Indiana had 100 confirmed cases and three deaths.

Iowa heath officials reported that state's sixth confirmed case, a 73-year-old woman who was recovering in a hospital. Iowa had 19 suspected cases.

At least 104 deaths and 2,212 human cases have been confirmed by the CDC nationwide.