The Vermilion County Health Department says there are now two dead birds in the county that have tested positive for West Nile Virus. The latest was collected from the Woodbury Hill area, west of Danville. The first was found in the Ridge Farm area.
The virus can be transferred to humans by the bite of the Culex mosquito if the mosquito has bitten an infected bird. The Illinois Department of Public Health says that most people are not affected when bitten by a West Nile-infected mosquito, but some people – including those who are over the age of 50 and who may have chronic health problems – are most at risk from West Nile Virus.
Symptoms of the virus include fever, body aches, joint pains, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash. The symptoms 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.
To reduce you expose to West Nile Virus, the Vermilion County Health Department recommends:
- Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that are damaged. Try to keep doors and windows shut, especially at night.
- Eliminate all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, including bird baths, ponds, flower pots, wading pools, old tires and any other receptacles.
- When outdoors wear shoes and socks, long pants and long-sleeved shirts, and apply insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535, according to label instructions. Consult a physician before applying repellents on infants.
