West Nile virus found in Lake County

Mosquito pools, or batches of the pests, sampled July 25 in Deerfield and July 26 in Lake Villa Township have tested positive for West Nile virus, Lake County Health Department officials announced Wednesday. The mosquito pools are the first confirmed indicators of the disease’s presence in Lake County in 2013. In 2012, there were seven human cases, three birds and 98 mosquito pools that tested positive for the virus in the county. “We recommend that residents protect themselves against mosquito bites by reducing their exposure to mosquitoes and wearing insect repellent outdoors,” said Tony Beltran, the health department’s executive director. The department maintains a West Nile virus hotline for county residents to report areas of stagnant water where mosquitoes breed, locations of dead birds or to obtain more information on the signs and symptoms of West Nile encephalitis. The number is: (847) 377-8300.