The McDonough County Health Department has been conducting mosquito surveillance since the month of May. A second batch of mosquitoes has been confirmed to have tested positive for the West Nile virus. The mosquitos that tested positive were collected October 1st – 7th from the Macomb area in McDonough County. The first positive batch was collected the week of August 15th.
As events fund us outside when mosquitoes are active. The McDonough County Health Department wants to remind residents to practice the three “R’s” – reduce, repel, and report to help fight the bite against mosquitoes.
REDUCE exposure – avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn
- 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, especially at night.
- Eliminate all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, including water in bird baths, ponds, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires, and any other receptacles.
REPEL – when outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt, and apply insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR 3535, according to label instructions. Consult a physician before using repellents on infants.
REPORT – report dead birds to your local health department through October 15, 2021. Contact your municipal government about areas of stagnant water in roadside ditches, flooded yards, and similar locations that may produce mosquitoes.
Additional information about West Nile virus can be found by logging onto http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/wnv.htm; or by contacting the Environmental Health Division at 309-837-9951 Ext: 2000.
***Report Courtesy of the McDonough County Health Department***
