The Illinois Department of Public Health confirmed Friday that a number of mosquitoes collected in west suburban Wayne have examined constructive for West Nile virus.
The mosquitoes had been collected Tuesday by the DuPage County Health Department, IDPH stated, making them the primary mosquitoes to check constructive for the virus this yr.
In 2018, 74 counties in Illinois reported constructive outcomes for West Nile virus in a mosquito, chook or human, IDPH stated. 176 human circumstances — which are sometimes underreported — had been confirmed constructive final yr, 17 of which resulted in loss of life.
“The recent rains are leaving many pools of water behind, not only in sewer systems under streets and drainage ditches along roads, but in our own backyards,” Acting IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike stated. “As we start to see higher temperatures, we will start to see more West Nile virus activity. While we see West Nile virus in Illinois every year, it is important not to become complacent. It’s easy to take precautions to protect yourself by wearing insect repellent and getting rid of standing water around your home.”
West Nile is transmitted by means of “house mosquitoes,” which choose up the virus from contaminated birds, IDPH stated. Those who discover these sick or dying crows, blue jays, robins or different perching birds ought to contact their native well being division, which can choose up the chook for testing.
Four out of 5 people contaminated with the virus is not going to present signs, the division stated. However, widespread signs that will seem for days or even weeks at a time embody fever, nausea, complications and muscle aches.
In uncommon circumstances, West Nile can result in meningitis, encephalitis and loss of life, IDPH stated. Elderly individuals and other people with weakened immune methods are particularly inclined.
The division encourages individuals to “fight the bight” by working towards the “three R’s:” scale back, repel and report.
According to IDPH, bites may be diminished by preserving tight-fitting screens over doorways and home windows and eliminating or refreshing sources of standing water each week. Mosquitoes may be repelled by carrying long-sleeved clothes and making use of insect repellent, it stated.
The division asks individuals who discover water sitting stagnant in ditches, yards and comparable places for over per week to contact native authorities who will add larvicide to the water, killing any mosquito eggs which may be current.