First West Nile virus positive bird found in Illinois

Posted on May 1, 2024
Mosquito
West Nile virus can be fatal in humans, so people who start to feel sick after getting a mosquito bite should watch for symptoms such as high fever and severe body aches and seek medical attention promptly should they appear. (Photo courtesy: WJBC/File)

By WMBD TV

BLOOMINGTON – A bird in Douglas County has tested positive West Nile virus, making it the first positive case in Illinois this year.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the bird was collected in Villa Grove on April 2.

Monitoring West Nile virus is a multifaceted approach that includes laboratory tests for mosquito batches, dead birds, sick horses and people.

“The news of the first bird with West Nile virus so early in the season is a signal for Illinois residents to begin protecting themselves – and their horses – from vector-borne diseases,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “We urge everyone — and especially older people and those with weakened immune systems — to take precautions to protect themselves and their families from mosquitoes and the viruses they carry by wearing insect repellent and eliminating standing water around their home where mosquitoes breed. Please ‘Fight the Bite’ by practicing the three R’s – reduce, repel, and report.”

  • REDUCE – make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings. Try to keep doors and windows shut.Eliminate, or refresh each week, all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, including water in bird baths, ponds, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires, and any other containers.
  • REPEL – when outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a light-colored, long-sleeved shirt, and apply an EPA-registered insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, IR 3535, para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone according to label instructions. Consult a physician before using repellents on infants.
  • REPORT – report locations to your local health department where you see water sitting stagnant for more than a week such as roadside ditches, flooded yards, and similar locations that may produce mosquitoes. The local health department or city government may be able to add larvicide to the water, which will kill any mosquito larvae.

In 2023, 67 Illinois counties reported West Nile virus positivity in their region. You can find more information here.

WMBD TV can be reached at [email protected].

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