West Nile virus found in Will County mosquitoes

Health officials have found the first mosquitoes this year testing positive for West Nile virus in Will County.

The mosquitoes were collected in Joliet, the Will County Health Department said in a news release Monday.

No human cases of West Nile virus have been reported in Will County, and health officials advise residents to take measures to avoid the virus.

So far this year, there has been one human case of West Nile virus in Illinois, but the virus has been detected in mosquitoes in 22 counties, according to the release.

“With mosquito season underway in Illinois, it is now time for Illinoisans, especially seniors and those with weakened immune systems, to start taking precautions to prevent mosquito bites,” Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in the release.

She noted that a bite from an infected mosquito “can cause serious illness.”

Eight out of 10 people infected with the virus do not develop any symptoms, the release said.

But one in five who are infected can experience headaches, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rashes.

Most people “recover completely, but fatigue and weakness can last for weeks or months,” the release said.

About one in 150 people who are infected develop a severe illness that affects the central nervous system or inflammation of membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, according to the release.

Those most vulnerable to severe illness are people over the age of 60 and those with certain medical conditions, including cancer, diabetes, hypertension and kidney disease.

People who have received organ transplants also are “at greater risk,” according to the release.

To reduce the possibility of mosquito bites, the Will County Health Department advises:

• Making sure that windows and doors have tight-fitting screens without tears; keeping doors and windows shut; and eliminating or refreshing on a weekly basis sources of standing water that include bird baths, ponds, flower pots, wading pools, old tires and containers

• Wearing shoes, socks, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts that are light-colored when outdoors while also using an EPA-registered insect repellent

• Reporting instances of standing water, which may include roadside ditches and flooded yards, to local health departments or municipal governments

More information about West Nile Virus is available on the web sites for the Centers for Disease Control and Illinois Department of Public Health.