DeKalb County health officials have urged residents to take precautions as heavy rainfall has resulted in abundance of mosquitoes and neighboring counties are struggling with West Nile Virus. West Nile Virus in the season has so far been found in Will County and Kane County, and other areas across the region.

However, mosquitoes or birds in DeKalb County have so far not been tested positive for the virus, said Greg Maurice, director of health protection with DeKalb County Health Department.

Maurice said West Nile is an endemic and it’s is not restricted to one area. The health department is assisting county municipalities to deal with mosquitoes that are breeding in large numbers in water pools left behind by the rain this season.

The West Nile Virus is carried by culex mosquitoes, said Maurice, adding that nuisance mosquitoes mostly resulting from stagnant rainwater are aggressive biters, but not likely to carry the virus.

“They’re not known to carry any disease within the U.S., they’re just a nuisance. If it’s hot and dry, we usually see more West Nile, and the years we see wet and cool temperatures, there’s a lower prevalence of West Nile. It’s out there but not as much”, he said.

Vector Stomp, a pest control and mosquito management company in Sycamore, 211 N. California St, says this year is particularly challenging to deal with mosquitoes as they have been very resilient. The rain has provided conducive conditions for mosquitoes to thrive.