West Nile Virus found in Logan County mosquito pool

Posted on August 24, 2018

By Howard Packowitz

LOGAN COUNTY – Evidence of West Nile Virus has turned up in a small Logan County community. A batch of mosquitoes in Beason, east of Lincoln, tested positive for the virus on Thursday, according to the Logan County Department of Public Health.

The health department said Logan is one of 55 Illinois counties that have shown signs of West Nile activity.

Earlier this month, a positive test came back on a batch of bugs in Pontiac, and in June came a report of West Nile Virus in a mosquito pool collected from a trap in Bloomington.

Health departments recommend a number of measures to avoid mosquito bites. They advise keeping skin covered while outside at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active, using insect repellent containing DEET, repairing tears on screen doors, and getting rid of standing water.

Health departments also said people bitten by mosquitoes don’t need to get tested for the virus because it’s rare for people to get sick from mosquito bites. They recommend people should see their doctor if they’re suffering symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, muscle weakness, or confusion.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

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