Community Corner

Will County Mosquitoes Test Positive for West Nile Virus

Will County Health Department spokesman Vic Reato said West Nile Virus activity in bird and mosquito populations typically is an indicator of what's in store for humans.

West Nile mosquitoes are back in Will County.

Samples collected from a Health Department mosquito monitoring site in Bolingbrook represent Will County's first confirmed West Nile Virus activity for 2013, according to a news release issued Wednesday afternoon by Will County media services manager Vic Reato.

Reato said samples were collected on July 8 and tested positive for West Nile Virus on July 9. He said Will County is one of at least 18 counties to report West Nile Virus activity so far this year.

Reato said the Bolingbrook site is one of 15 mosquito monitoring facilities operated by Will County Environmental Health. He said mosquitoes are collected from each site at least twice weekly.

No human West Nile Virus cases have been reported in Illinois to date, Reato said, but activity in bird and mosquito populations typically indicates what is in store for humans. He said Illinois reported 290 human cases and 12 fatalities in 2012.

Reato said there were 11 cases of human infection from Will County last year, but no fatalities were reported.


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