Mosquitos collected in Evanston Wednesday tested positive for West Nile virus in the North Shore Mosquito Abatement District’s lab on Thursday, the City announced. 

They were the first mosquitos NSMAD trapped this season to be found carrying the virus. 

According to the National Institutes of Health, the West Nile virus is the most common arthropod-borne virus found in the U.S. About 80% of those infected do not develop symptoms, and those who do may develop a fever, body aches, a skin rash and swollen lymph nodes, the NIH said. 

According to the release, there is a low risk of being infected with West Nile virus, which spreads through the bites of infected mosquitos, at this time of year. To minimize the chance of mosquito bites, NSMAD advises residents to:

• Use insect repellent
• Wear loose fitting clothing
• Avoid peak mosquito feeding times during the hours around dawn and dusk
• Examine property and eliminate any items that can hold water, particularly smaller items that may be easily overlooked

To report potential breeding grounds for mosquitos — such as areas of stagnant water in roadside ditches, flooded yards and similar locations — residents may contact NSMAD by calling 847-446-9434. For more information on West Nile virus in the city, residents may reach the Evanston Health and Human Services Department at [email protected] or 847-448-4311.

Email: [email protected] 

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— Mosquitos carrying West Nile virus found in Evanston

— North Shore Mosquito Abatement District finds West Nile virus mosquitoes in Evanston

— First 2020 mosquitoes to test positive for West Nile found in Evanston