Local West Nile virus surveillance program continues
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[September 24, 2011]
Recently, the Illinois Department of
Public Health reported that 10 people in Illinois have tested
positive for West Nile virus. This includes a Cook County man in his
60s who died earlier this month. He was found to have underlying an
health condition and was also diagnosed with the virus.
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This is a reminder that even though it's autumn, mosquitoes can
remain active when temperatures are above 60 degrees, and activity
will usually persist until the first hard frost.Because of the
existing threat, the Logan County Department of Public Health
reminds everyone to take precautions to eliminate breeding areas
around your home and to avoid mosquito bites. Precautions to prevent
mosquitoes include:
-
Avoid being
outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between
dusk and dawn. Use prevention methods whenever mosquitoes are
present.
-
When outdoors,
wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and
apply insect repellent that includes DEET, picaridin or oil of
lemon eucalyptus, according to label instructions. Contact a
physician before using repellents on infants.
-
Make sure doors
and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace
screens that might have tears or other openings. Try to keep
doors and windows shut, especially at night.
-
Eliminate all
sources of standing water that can support mosquito breeding,
including water in birdbaths, ponds, flower pots, wading pools,
old tires and other receptacles.
-
Contact your local municipal government
or the Logan County Department of Public Health to report areas
of stagnant water in roadside ditches, flooded yards and similar
locations that may produce mosquitoes.
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The health department is still monitoring mosquito activity and
will continue to do so through Oct. 15. Monitoring includes the
collection and submittal of dead birds to the Illinois State
Laboratory for West Nile virus testing.
The Logan County Department of Public Health would appreciate
your help in the monitoring. If you observe a dead or dying bird,
contact the department to see if the bird is eligible for testing.
Eligible birds must meet various conditions and can include crows,
blue jays, robins and other perching birds that appear to have died
of natural causes within the previous 24 hours.
For further information, contact the Logan County Department of
Public Health at 217-735-2317.
[Text from file received from
the
Logan County Department of Public
Health]
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