By Neil Doyle
BLOOMINGTON – The McLean County Health Department collected a mosquito pool east of Bloomington that tested positive for West Nile Virus.
The pool was in the 61705 area code and this is the first West Nile (WNV) case in the county this year, according to a news release Wednesday.
Residents are advised to limit time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn and take precautionary measures to limit exposure to mosquitoes. Some preventative steps residents can take to reduce their risk of WNV infection through mosquitoes include:
REDUCE exposure
- wear protective clothing like long pants and long-sleeved shirts, along with socks and shoes, when outside from dawn until dusk (the time when the Culex mosquito is most active)
- repair and replace worn screens on doors and windows
- eliminate stagnant, shallow water weekly to prevent mosquitoes from breeding (including bird baths, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires and other receptacles that collect water)
REPEL mosquitoes
- apply insect repellent that contains DEET, picardin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus, according to label instructions (consult a physician before using repellents on infants)
REPORT dead birds and standing water sources
- contact the MCHD to report dead birds and areas of stagnant water in roadside ditches, flooded yards and similar locations that may create ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes
As of Wednesday, McLean County was one of 17 counties in Illinois with confirmed West Nile activity. In Illinois there have been 1,327 positive mosquito pool samples, six positive birds, and no reported human cases.
Neil Doyle can be reached at neil.doyle@cumulus.com
