The Randolph County Health Department is reporting that a mosquito sample collected in the City of Sparta has tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV). This is the first confirmed positive WNV mosquito sample in the county in 2026.
West Nile Virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. No human cases of West Nile Virus have been reported in Randolph County so far in 2026. According to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), WNV has been found in 24 counties in Illinois in 2026.
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