City of Aurora issued the following announcement on Aug. 15.
The DuPage County Health Department informed the City of Aurora that a case of West Nile Virus has been confirmed on Aurora's far east side.
Consequently, the City of Aurora dispatched a team to immediately spray the designated area in an attempt to control the mosquito population.
According to the CDC, WNV is most commonly transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. There are no medications to treat or vaccines to prevent WNV infection. Fortunately, most people infected with WNV will have no symptoms. About 1 in 5 people who are infected will develop a fever with other symptoms. Less than 1% of infected people develop a serious illness.
Residents are encouraged to protect themselves from mosquito bites and the risk of contracting WNV by remembering the "4 Ds of Defense":
• Drain: Drain those items that collect standing water around your home, yard or business. Scrub and refill pet water dishes and bird baths regularly.
• Defend: Use an insect repellent containing DEET when outdoors and reapply according to directions.
• Dress: Wear long pants, long sleeves, and closed-toe shoes when outside to cover the skin.
• Dusk & Dawn: Wear repellent outdoors during these prime times for mosquito activity.
Dead birds can often be an early sign of the presence of the virus in the environment. Residents should report dead birds to their county health department. Only report dead birds if there is no obvious cause of death other than disease. Birds with obvious injuries such as wounds and birds found along roadways should not be reported.
Reports can be made to:
• DuPage County: http://www.dupagehealth.org/dead-bird-sighting
• Kane County: 630-444-3040
• Kendall County: 630-553-8026
• Will County: 815-740-7631
Original source can be found here.
Source: City of Aurora
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