The Vermilion County Health Department says a mosquito collected from the Ridge Farm Area has tested positive for West Nile Virus. The Health Department has collected 75 samples of mosquitoes since May. A batch collected in Ridge Farm was the first to test positive for West Nile Virus this year.
The virus can be transferred to humans by the bite of the Culex mosquito if the mosquito has bitten an infected bird. As of July 21st, the Illinois Department of Public Health says no human cases of West Nile Virus have been reported this year in Illinois.
The Vermilion County Health Department says symptoms of West Nile Virus can include a fever, body aches, joint pains, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash and can last up to several weeks. The Center for Disease Control says that only 1 in 5 people infected with the virus develop symptoms, and less than 1 percent of them develop severe or fatal neurological illness.
The County Health Department recommends taking some simple precautions to help avoid mosquito bites. They include:
- Reducing outdoor activities when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn;
- Make sure windows and doors have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings;
- Eliminate all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, including water in bird baths, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires and other items;
- When outdoors, where shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and apply insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR 3535, according to its label. Consult a physician before using repellents on infants.
