Health Officials Report Mosquitoes Positive for West Nile Virus in North Suburbs

Illinois health officials announced that the first batches of mosquitoes to test positive for West Nile virus in 2023 have been detected in two suburbs in Cook County.

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported that three batches of mosquitoes collected on May 30-31 in Park Ridge and Evanston. No human cases of the virus have been reported in Illinois in 2023 thus far.

In 2022, the first West Nile-positive batch of mosquitoes in Illinois was detected on May 24 in DuPage County.

““The reports about the first batches of mosquitoes with West Nile virus is a good reminder that this is the time of year when Illinois residents should begin protecting themselves from vector-borne diseases. We urge everyone — and especially older people and those with weakened immune systems — to take precautions to protect themselves and their families from mosquitoes and the viruses they carry by wearing insect repellent and eliminating standing water around their home where mosquitoes breed,” Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said.

In addition to mosquito batches, presence of the West Nile virus is also monitored by testing dead birds, sick horses and humans with symptoms of the virus.

Illinois residents who observe any sick birds are encouraged to contact their local public health department to determine if the bird can be picked up for testing.

According to the IDPH, West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a Culex species mosquito, commonly called a house mosquito, that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird.

Fever, nausea, headache and muscle aches are common symptoms for humans, with symptoms lasting for a few days to a few weeks. Most individuals infected will not show any symptoms, though the virus can cause meningitis, encephalitis and even death in rare cases.

Individuals over 60 and with weakened immune systems are the most at risk for severe illness from West Nile virus.

According to Illinois health officials, 34 human cases of West Nile virus and eight deaths were recorded in 2022, though human cases are often underreported.

Health officials advise Illinois residents to “reduce, repel and report” to assist in efforts at containing West Nile virus:

• REDUCE – make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings. Try to keep doors and windows shut. Eliminate, or refresh each week, all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, including water in bird baths, ponds, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires, and any other containers.
• REPEL – when outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a light-colored, long-sleeved shirt, and apply an EPA-registered insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, IR 3535, para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone according to label instructions. Consult a physician before using repellents on infants.
• REPORT – report locations where you see water sitting stagnant for more than a week such as roadside ditches, flooded yards, and similar locations that may produce mosquitoes. The local health department or city government may be able to add larvicide to the water, which will kill any mosquito larvae.
  

Updated information from the state’s West Nile virus dashboard can be found here.

from NBC Chicago https://ift.tt/EtypO5e