First 2025 Batch Of West Nile-Positive Mosquitos Reported In Illinois

Though we're getting swarmed with mayflies, problematic mosquitos are popping up.

Nothing says summer quite like mosquitos making their return, and that's evident in Illinois. According to Illinois Department of Public Health, they have identified the state's first batch of West Nile Virus-Positive mosquitos for 2025.

The positive sample was collected on May 9th in Rockford by the Winnebago County Health Department. The mosquitos tested positive on May 12th.

Last year in Illinois, 72 counties reported positive tests for West Nile Virus in humans, mosquitos, birds, or horses. 13 human deaths from WNV were recorded in data from Illinois Department of Public Health, which is the highest number of human deaths since 17 in 2018.

How You Know If You Got It

Here's the good news: most people who get West Nile Virus won't even show symptoms. But if you do, it will probably be something like fever, nausea, headache or muscle aches. It may last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

Folks who are older than 60 and folks who have weakened immune systems are at risk of much more serious symptoms with WNV.

The 'Three R's'

The IDPH recommends the "three R's": Reduce, Repel, Report.

So basically:

• Make sure your door screens are tight with no tears
• Refresh any standing water, like pools
• Cover skin (socks, light-colored long sleeve shirt)
• Report a lot of standing water (flooded fields, roadside ditches, etc) that's there for more than 1 week

The Illinois Department of Public Health has a "robust surveillance system" to monitor WNV in mosquitos, animals, and humans this summer.