The North Shore Mosquito Abatement District (NSMAD) has found the first West Nile virus positive mosquitoes to occur in their traps in Evanston this year.
A batch of mosquitoes, collected on June 22, 2016, from a NSMAD trap in Evanston, tested positive for West Nile virus in their lab on June 23. This year, WNV positive batches of mosquitoes have also been found in NSMAD traps located in Glenview, Kenilworth and Skokie.
While the risk of being infected with West Nile virus is low at this time of year, NSMAD recommends that residents take personal protection measures to minimize mosquito bites including: using insect repellent, wearing loose fitting clothing, and avoiding peak mosquito feeding times during the hours around dawn and dusk. Residents are urged to examine their property and eliminate any items that can hold water, particularly smaller items that may be easily overlooked.
Please contact the North Shore Mosquito Abatement District (NSMAD) via email at nsmad@nsmad.com or call 847-446-9434 to report areas of stagnant water in roadside ditches, flooded yards and similar locations that may produce mosquitoes. Remember, if it can hold water, it can breed mosquitoes.
For additional information, contact the Evanston Health and Human Services Department via email at health@cityofevanston.org or call/text 847-448-4311. For convenience, residents may call 3-1-1 directly while in Evanston.