McHenry Co. distributes free materials to combat West Nile

The McHenry County Health Department is providing free insect repellent wipes and informational fliers about the West Nile virus, whose risk will be elevated until the first frost, officials said.

In Illinois, two deaths and 48 human cases of the mosquito-borne disease have been reported, according to a health department news release. The deaths were in Kane and DuPage counties.

As of Tuesday, nearly 1,600 cases and 66 deaths nationwide attributed to the West Nile virus were reported to the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention, the highest number in the first eight months of the year since the virus was detected in 1999 in the United States, according to the CDC's website.

The free materials are available to the public at the health department locations at 2200 N. Seminary Ave. in Woodstock and 100 N. Virginia Road in Crystal Lake.

The health department also continues to track West Nile virus activity locally, with the latest report from Tuesday showing that 21 mosquito batches, out of 190 tested, were positive, as were 4 of 25 birds tested. No human cases have been reported in McHenry County.

For details, visit mcdh.info or call (815) 334-4585.