CARBONDALE - Hot weather and dry conditions are usually ripe for mosquito breeding and, by extension, the spread of West Nile Virus. But, so far, the region is fairing well this summer as no reports of the virus have been raised in Southern Illinois, officials at the Jackson County Health Department said Wednesday.

The closest confirmed site of infected mosquitoes is the Metro East area said Kevin Gillespie, director of environmental health and emergency preparedness for the JCHD.

But while Gillespie said that's good news, he added that he expects some infected mosquitoes will likely be found in the region.

"It's a particularly bad time of year," he said. "The high temperatures and dry conditions are when West Nile activity is usually increased. So these are the times when people need to be mindful of mosquito bites and look for areas that might be holding water where mosquitoes can breed."

From there, would-be mosquito thwarters should eliminate spots where water can accumulate like old tires, said Gillespie.

"You may find containers that still have water that will hold water after a rainfall several weeks ago," he said. "It only takes a very small amount of water for mosquitoes to breed in."

West Nile Virus leads to sickness in 2 out of every ten people, said Gillespie.

"But it can lead to encephalitis and meningitis, which can be fatal," he said, before adding that people over the age of 50 are more susceptible. "There is a correlation between high temperatures, dry conditions and West Nile. These are the times when people need to be mindful of mosquito bites."

blackwell.thomas@thesouthern.com

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