The Illinois Department of Public Health is urging people to “fight the bite” and protect themselves from mosquitos this summer.
The West Nile Virus has been detected in four counties so far, including St. Clair County in the metro-east, Morgan County west of Springfield, Lasalle County in north central Illinois, and Cook County where Chicago is located.
While many people who are infected don’t have many symptoms, the virus can be serious for the elderly and those with a compromised immune system.
Public Health spokesperson Mike Claffey says that’s why it’s important to “fight the bite.”
Claffey said, “So there’s a couple of simple things you can do, certainly when you’re heading into the outdoors, you should wear mosquito repellant and long sleeve clothing and long pants if you can manage to do that. Another thing is to eliminate standing water around your home, where mosquitoes usually breed.
Claffey says don’t forget the bird baths.
Claffey says, “In a bird fountain, you’ll want to replace that water at least once a week because that will not allow the mosquitoes to breed.”
Some of the most effective mosquito repellants contain DEET, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or picaridin.
No human cases of West Nile Virus have been reported yet in Illinois. Last year, eight people died from their infections.
