The first case of the West Nile Virus for this year has been confirmed in Illinois and it's right here in the Quad Cities area.
The Henry County Health Department collected a bird that tested positive for the virus in Colona.
In 2013, 76 counties in Illinois reported cases of West Nile; 117 people contracted it and 11 people died from it.
There are easy things you can do to try to protect yourself.
Mosquitoes are often in standing water, and they're worst at dusk and just before dawn. You can reduce your exposure by staying indoors at those times and by keeping water fresh or moving in bird baths and other areas where water collects. Another thing you can do is wear long sleeves and pants or use an insect repellant.
A second case of West Nile was also reported in Godfrey, Illinois near St.Louis. No human cases have been reported so far in Iowa or Illinois.
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