Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has reported the first bird in Illinois to test positive for West Nile virus in 2024. The specimen was collected by Douglas County Health Department staff on April 2 in Villa Grove. This early detection follows a mild winter and spring.

“The news of the first bird with West Nile virus so early in the season is a signal for Illinois residents to begin protecting themselves – and their horses - from vector-borne diseases,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “We urge everyone -- and especially older people and those with weakened immune systems -- to take precautions to protect themselves and their families from mosquitoes and the viruses they carry by wearing insect repellent and eliminating standing water around their home where mosquitoes breed. Please ‘Fight the Bite’ by practicing the three R’s – reduce, repel, and report.”

Director Vohra added that horses can be protected from West Nile virus through vaccination.

Monitoring for West Nile virus in Illinois includes laboratory tests for mosquito batches, dead birds, as well as testing sick horses and humans with West Nile virus-like symptoms. People who see a sick or dead crow, blue jay, robin or other perching bird should contact their local county or city health department to determine if the bird will be picked up for testing.

West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has fed on an infected bird. Common symptoms include fever, nausea, headache, and muscle aches, which may last from a few days to a few weeks. Most people infected will not show any symptoms; however, severe illness such as meningitis, encephalitis, or even death can occur in rare cases. Individuals over 60 years old and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for severe illness.

Last year saw reports of West Nile virus-positive mosquito batches, birds, horses, or human cases in 67 Illinois counties—up from 44 counties in 2022. There were 119 human cases of West Nile virus and six deaths reported last year compared to 33 human cases and seven deaths in 2022. IDPH notes that human cases are underreported.

IDPH encourages the public to practice the three “R’s”:

**REDUCE**: Ensure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens; repair or replace damaged screens; keep doors and windows shut; eliminate or refresh weekly all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed.

**REPEL**: When outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants, light-colored long-sleeved shirts; apply EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET or other approved ingredients according to label instructions; consult a physician before using repellents on infants.

**REPORT**: Report stagnant water locations such as roadside ditches or flooded yards to local health departments which may add larvicide to kill mosquito larvae.

Additional information can be found on IDPH’s West Nile virus website and Dashboard.

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