Will County continues to see West Nile activity
August 13, 2012 8:54AM
Updated: September 16, 2012 6:07AM
JOLIET — Temperatures have moderated and some rain has fallen, but mosquito-borne West Nile virus is still prevalent across Illinois.
Will County Environmental Health mosquito monitoring sites reported nine virus-positive samples recently, including two from gravid traps in Bolingbrook and Lockport. The two Bolingbrook sites operated by Will County have now produced nine virus-positive mosquito batches and the site in Lockport has accounted for four positives.
Sites from Joliet, Frankfort, Mokena, New Lenox and Shorewood also tested virus-positive mosquitoes. The two health department sites in Joliet have totaled seven positives so far.
Monitoring sites operated by Will County and the Illinois Department of Public Health have combined for 39 virus-positive mosquito batches in less than two months. There were just 24 Will County virus-positive mosquito batches harvested during all of 2011.
Will County is one of 33 Illinois counties to report West Nile activity this year.
Public health jurisdictions continue to urge that residents take precautions to deter mosquitoes when spending long periods of time outdoors.
