MORRISON – Mosquitoes collected a week ago near Morrison have tested positive for the West Nile virus, according to Rian Nailor, director of Environmental Health for the Whiteside County Health Department.

It is likely that West Nile is also circulating in other areas of the county; however, a positive test shows there are infected mosquitoes around Morrison, putting residents at greater risk of exposure, Nailor said. A positive mosquito pool is significant since Culex mosquitoes have a very short flight range of about one-quarter of a mile.

West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Typically the months of August and September are when West Nile activity is at its highest. The threat of West Nile exposure can remain until the first frost. Since it is now the peak season for mosquito-borne disease, Nailor aid it is important for the public to continue vigilance and take precautions to reduce the number of mosquitoes around homes and protect themselves from exposure.

Precautions include:

Reducing exposure. Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn. Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens and repair or replace any with tears or openings Try to keep doors and windows shut, especially at night. Eliminate all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, including flowerpots, wading pools, old tires, clogged rain gutters, old boats and any other receptacles, and change the water in bird baths weekly.

Using repellents. Wear shoes and socks, long pants and long-sleeved shirts when outdoors. Apply insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR 3535, according to label instructions when outdoors. Consult a physician before using repellents on infants.

Reporting. Report dead birds to the Whiteside County Health Department. If your community has an organized mosquito control program, contact your municipal government about areas of stagnant water in roadside ditches, flooded yards, and similar locations that may produce mosquitoes.

Additional information about West Nile virus can be found by logging onto

https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/west-nile-virus or www.cdc.gov/westnile/