THE FOLLOWING IS A VERMILION COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT RELEASE
A batch of mosquitoes collected in the Danville area has been the first to test positive for the West Nile virus this year in Vermilion County.
The Vermilion County Health Department has collected 53 samples of mosquito batches since May.
Each year during the months of May through the end of September, Environmental Health staff members set mosquito traps throughout the county. The trapped mosquitoes are then collected and tested for the West Nile virus. Currently, the department has 19 traps setup throughout the county.
During the mosquito season the Environmental Health Division asks the public’s assistance in reporting birds that appear to have died of natural causes, and which may have West Nile Virus, by calling (217) 431-2662, ext. 5. These birds are collected and submitted to the University of Illinois’ Veterinary School laboratory to be tested for the virus. Four birds have been collected so far this season. Three birds tested negative and results for the fourth bird have not been reporting to VCHD at this date.
The virus can be transferred to humans by the bite of the Culex mosquito if the mosquito has bitten an infected bird.
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 Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reports that as of Sept. 8, 2022, there have been two human cases of West Nile Virus in Illinois. IDPH is also reporting one death with West Nile Virus listed as a contributing factor. 14.3% of the total 13,436 mosquito collections tested have been found to be positive for the virus. Of the 148 birds tested to date 11 have been found to be positive for the virus. So far, 35 of the 102 counties in Illinois have reported West Nile Virus positive mosquito batches or birds.
Taking some simple precautions can help people avoid mosquito bites, regardless of the type of mosquito or the diseases they carry. Precautions that the Illinois Department of Public Health recommends include the practice of the three “R”s – reduce, repel, report.
• REDUCE exposure – avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn.
o 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, especially at night.
o Eliminate all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, including water in bird baths, ponds, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires and any other receptacles.
• REPEL – when outdoors, wear 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 label instructions. Consult a physician before using repellents on infants.
REPORT – In communities where there are organized mosquito control programs, contact your municipal government to report areas of stagnant water in roadside ditches, flooded yards and similar locations that may produce mosquitoes.
