Ogle County Reports First West Nile Virus Positive Mosquito Pool of 2026

ROCHELLE  — The Ogle County Health Department has confirmed the county’s first mosquito pool to test positive for West Nile virus this year. The positive sample was collected in Rochelle, and health officials said mosquitoes carrying the virus should be assumed to be present throughout Ogle County for the rest of the mosquito season. Most people infected with West Nile virus do not develop symptoms, but some may experience fever, headache, nausea and muscle aches, while older adults and people with weakened immune systems face a greater risk of serious illness. The health department is urging residents to reduce standing water around their homes, use insect repellent when outdoors, and report areas where stagnant water remains for more than a week so mosquito breeding sites can be treated.