One Illinois county is sounding the alarm after reporting the discovery of the season’s first West Nile-positive mosquitoes.
What’s happening?
In late June, the Will County Health Department announced that a batch of mosquitoes in the city of Joliet, which is around 40 miles southwest of Chicago, tested positive for West Nile virus.
Patch reported on the announcement, adding that the mosquito-borne illness had already been found in 22 of the state’s counties so far in 2025, per Illinois Department of Public Health data. Health officials in Chicago issued a similar warning a few weeks earlier, as a batch of mosquitoes there had tested positive for the virus.
“With mosquito season underway in Illinois, it is now time for Illinoisans, especially seniors and those with weakened immune systems, to start taking precautions to prevent mosquito bites,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra, according to Patch.
Why is this announcement important?
West Nile can cause symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the virus can also be deadly. Illinois saw 69 human cases in 2024, including 13 deaths, according to the IDPH.
While West Nile has been in the U.S. since 1999, a warming planet is driving increases in mosquito-borne illnesses. These bloodsuckers benefit from warmer and wetter conditions, which are helping them expand their ranges, remain active for longer seasons, and move into higher altitudes.
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For instance, a Massachusetts epidemiologist recently called people to alert after the state discovered its first West Nile-carrying mosquitoes two weeks earlier than last year. And Connecticut officials are warning residents that the type of tiger mosquito that carries chikungunya, Zika, and dengue is expected to spread farther and faster than usual across the state in 2025.
What’s being done about mosquito-borne illnesses?
The IDPH is encouraging people to “fight the bite” to best avoid the potential of contracting West Nile. Recommendations include eliminating standing water, using screens on windows or doors or keeping them shut, wearing long clothing and an Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellent when outside, and reporting standing water if it has been present for more than a week.
Many communities are also looking for ways to reduce mosquito populations in their efforts to protect residents. For instance, officials in one Florida county are using X-rays to kill invasive mosquitoes, and one Manila neighborhood is paying residents to bring in any mosquitoes they can capture.
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