Routine mosquito testing in Jackson County has turned up the first positive batch of West Nile Virus.
Jackson County Health Department's Environmental Health Director, Bart Hagston, says the results demonstrate the need for people to protect themselves from mosquito bites. The mosquitoes were collected and tested Thursday. Hagston says West Nile is typically carried by Culex mosquitoes. He says those mosquitoes become more active during hot weather. Hagston says you can reduce the risk of contracting West Nile by avoiding outdoor activities at dusk or dawn when mosquitoes are most active. He also recommends using insect spray that contains DEET or other natural repellents. Other ways of reducing the threat of West Nile include eliminating sources of standing water in bird baths, ponds, and old tires. So far there have been no human cases of West Nile Virus reported in Illinois this year. The Jackson County Health Department has been monitoring mosquito populations since April.
