ILLINOIS (IRN) — It’s time to start packing bug spray before heading outside.

It’s that time of year again. West Nile season in Illinois has begun.

The Illinois Department of Public Health said health officials in DuPage County found the first batch of West Nile positive mosquitoes last week.

Acting IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said the key to not getting sick from West Nile is to not get bit in the first place.

“I’m hoping that with increased education, the promotion of people wearing insect repellent, and making sure people report stagnant water, we hope that we can decrease the chances of people getting these mosquito-borne illnesses,” Ezike said.

No human West Nile cases have been reported in Illinois this season. Those cases tend to peak in late summer.

“We know that hot and dry climates are when we see more human West Nile cases,” Ezike said. “So, I guess if the weather holds up like it has been, we’re in better shape.”

In 2018, the IDPH said 176 people had confirmed cases of West Nile. Seventeen of those people died.