West Nile Virus Found in Bolingbrook Mosquitoes, Again

For more information about West Nile Virus, check out this site from the Illinois Health Department. 

mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile Virus for the second time this summer, according to the Will County Health Department. 

Mosquitoes collected from monitoring sites in Joliet, Shorewood, Bolingbrook and Frankfort on July 24 all tested positive. That brings the total in Will County to six West Nile Virus positives. 

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Two human WNV cases have been identified so far. Both were women living in Cook County. A blue jay collected in Wilmington and a robin taken from Plainfield have also tested WNV-positive, according to the Will County Health Department.

The Health Department is "accelerating mosquito monitoring in order to keep pace with what appears to be a burgeoning WNV potential," according to a release.

There are currently 15 mosquito monitoring sites in the county, including two in Bolingbrook.  

All monitoring sites are currently harvested twice weekly. Selected sites will now be visited three times a week and additional monitoring sites may be added. 

At least 26 Illinois counties have reported West Nile Virus activity this summer, with the majority of confirmations emanating from Chicagoland, according to a release.

"Through July 24, 315 of the state’s 375 WNV-positive mosquito samples (84 percent), and nine of 21 WNV-positive birds from Illinois were collected from Cook or DuPage counties," the release said. 

The summer's abnormally hot and dry weather has created "ideal conditions for the Culex pipiens mosquitoes most often implicated in human WNV transmission," according to the release.

The Health Department strongly urges residents to take personal precautions designed to prevent mosquito bites.

Persons spending long periods outdoors are advised to use insect repellents containing DEET, or other chemical compounds that deter mosquitoes. Culex mosquitoes are most active near dawn and during the early evening.