West Nile Season: Health Department Begins Mosquito Monitoring

A warmer than normal early spring prompted state and Will County health officials to begin monitoring for West Nile virus (WNV) a month earlier than usual.

In April, Will County began monitoring sightings of dead birds and testing the animals for the disease, which has infected 55 people and resulted in two deaths in Will County since 2005.

This week, the staff of the Will County Environmental Health Department  began monitoring at a dozen locations throughout the area to monitor mosquitoes, which carry the disease.

The county launched a weekly mosquito monitoring program in 2002, when Illinois led the county with 884 human West Nile cases and 64 deaths.

WNV is a mosquito-borne disease capable of producing encephalitis and meningitis, potentially fatal inflammations of the brain and spinal cord. 

Will County’s WNV hotline, 815-740-7631, is available 24-7 for residents seeking information about symptoms, history and statistics of the disease. Residents are also asked to call the hotline to report dead bird sightings.

For more information on West Nile, visit www.idph.state.il.us.

To protect against the disease, the county urges residents to take the following precautions:

• Minimize personal risk by avoiding outdoor activity at dusk and near dawn, when mosquitoes are most active
• Wear long sleeves and long pants when spending extended periods of time outdoors
• Use an insect repellent containing DEET to avoid mosquito bites