Second Bird Tests Positive for West Nile Virus in LaSalle County

The second case of West Nile virus among birds in the Illinois Valley has been confirmed.

According to the LaSalle County Health Department, a crow in Ottawa that was collected by the department Friday tested positive for the virus. This came a day after a crow in Peru tested positive, which the department said the first West Nile activity in the county this year.

Chris Pozzi, the department’s Director of Environmental Health, says this “recurrent activity throughout the county” serves as a good reminder for people take precautions against insect bites, as mosquitoes often transmit the virus. The County Health Department also asks you to report any dead birds you may find to them at 433-3366.

The LaSalle County Health Department also says there still has yet to be a single human case of West Nile virus in the county.