First mosquito pool to test positive for West Nile Virus in Illinois this year found in Rockford
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A mosquito pool in Rockford has become the first in the state this year to test positive for West Nile Virus.
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced on Tuesday that the specimen collected by the Winnebago County Health Department in Rockford had tested positive on Monday. The specimen was collected Friday from the 61101 ZIP Code, according to the local health department.
A few thousand mosquito batches test positive for the virus each year, with a total 3,108 last year and 3,388 in 2023 in Illinois.
“The news of the first batch of mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus is a reminder for Illinois residents to begin protecting themselves from diseases caused by mosquito and tick bites,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a news release. “The best defense against West Nile virus is to practice the ‘Three R’s’: reduce, repel, and report.”
Last year, the state reported positive tests for West Nile Virus in mosquitoes, birds, horses and humans in 72 of the 102 counties in the state. That includes 69 human cases that led to 13 deaths, the highest number since 17 deaths in 2018.
“IDPH urges everyone, and especially those who are older or have weakened immune systems, to ‘Fight the Bite’ and protect themselves and their families from mosquitoes and the viruses they carry,” Vohra said.
People infected with West Nile in Illinois last year ranged in age from 23 to 92, with the median age 63. People older than 60 and those with a weakened immune system are most vulnerable to the virus.
West Nile is transmitted through the bite of a Culex mosquito, commonly referred to as a house mosquito, that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Common symptoms include fever, nausea, headache and muscle aches, which can last from a few days to a few weeks.
Most people infected will be asymptomatic, but rare cases can lead to severe illness including meningitis, encephalitis and possible death.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
