The Illinois Department of Public Health reports it has confirmed the first two batches of mosquitoes to test positive in 2024 for West Nile virus in Illinois, one in Hoffman Estates in Cook County and one in Morgan County.
The specimen in Hoffman Estates was collected by the Northwest Mosquito Abatement District on May 14. A second batch to test positive was found May 16 in Jacksonville in Morgan County.
The confirmation of the first two mosquito batches follows a mild winter and spring and comes two weeks earlier than in 2023.
IDPH recently reported that the first bird to test positive form West Nile virus in Douglas County.
Last year, 67 Illinois counties reported a West Nile virus positive mosquito batch, bird, horse, and/or human case, up from 44 counties in 2022.
Last year, there were 119 human cases of West Nile virus and six deaths reported in Illinois.
