Westmont, Illinois -- Date Issued: August 8, 2022
Due to an increase in mosquito samples throughout DuPage County testing positive for West Nile virus (WNV), the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) is reminding residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites and the risk of contracting WNV.
The key factors in determining the degree of WNV activity are temperatures and rainfall. In hot, dry weather, mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus (primarily Culex mosquitoes) breed in areas with stagnant water, such as street catch basins, ditches, birdbaths, flowerpots, and buckets, where the mosquitoes multiply rapidly.
“As people spend more time outdoors enjoying the end of summer, we remind everyone to protect yourself and your family from mosquitoes and the West Nile Virus,” said Karen Ayala, DuPage Health Department Executive Director.
THE 4 D’s OF DEFENSE AGAINST MOSQUITOS
Protect yourself and your family - Prevent mosquitoes from breeding around your home by following the “4 Ds of Defense”:
- Drain: Drain items that collect standing water around your home, yard, or business. Scrub and refill pet water dishes and birdbaths regularly (at least weekly).
- 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 to Dawn: Wear repellent outdoors during these prime times for mosquito activity.
DUPAGE PERSONAL PROTECTION INDEX (PPI)
Residents can also check the Personal Protection Index (PPI) on the DuPage County Health Department’s website https://www.dupagehealth.org/243/Personal-Protection-Index for the current WNV activity. The PPI ranges in risk level from zero-to-three, with zero being no activity and three reflecting multiple human cases of WNV in DuPage County. The PPI is updated every Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. throughout the WNV season by the Health Department’s vector-borne disease surveillance experts.
WNV activity generally decreases in the fall when cooler temperatures arrive and especially after the first frost of the season. Additional information on WNV prevention is available on the CDC website and Illinois Department of Public Health website.
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