McHenry County Reports First Positive Test for West Nile Virus

Update: Two mosquito batches, in Elgin and Carpentersville, tested positive for West Nile Virus, the Kane County Health Department said. Kane County reported one human case last year.

A mosquito trap in Fox River Grove tested positive for West Nile virus, the McHenry County Department of Health reports.

It’s the first positive test for West Nile Virus (WNV) in McHenry County this year. The McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) tested 122 mosquito batches as of July 11 and all the other batched tested negative.

No human cases of WNV have been reported in McHenry County. Last year, there was one human case in the county.

Statewide, 19 counties have reported 64 positive mosquito batches and 17 positive birds but no human cases so far, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).

This summer’s hot temperatures increases mosquito activity and the risk of WNV, the IDPH said.

It is important to remember that the risk of WNV remains until the first hard frost. Residents should continue to use insect repellent when going out of doors in the evening, with long sleeved shirts and long pants for extra protection. 

Other tips include: emptying standing water from containers around the house and making sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens.

Illness from West Nile virus is usually mild and includes fever, headache and body aches but serious illnesses, such as encephalitis and meningitis and death, are possible.  Persons 50 and older have the highest risk of severe disease.