Residents advised to practice practical protection against mosquitoes  

[AUG. 30, 2004]  Two birds recently submitted locally for testing of West Nile virus were found to be positive for the virus. A dead crow found Monday in Mount Pulaski and a dead blue jay found Tuesday in Lincoln tested positive for West Nile. Crows and blue jays are the only two birds that can be submitted for testing. In the last two years, Logan County has had positive birds.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, continue to take simple, common-sense precautions to avoid mosquito bites and protect yourself from West Nile disease. These precautions include:

• Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dark.
• When outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and apply insect repellent that includes DEET according to label instructions. Consult your physician before using repellents on young children.
• Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens.

• Eliminate all sources of standing water that can support mosquito breeding, including water in birdbaths, ponds, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires and any other receptacles.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Division of Environmental Health at the Logan County Health Department, [phone].

[Logan County Health Department
news release]

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