Northwest Iowa — The Iowa Department of Public Health is reminding you to protect yourself against mosquitoes if you are out taking advantage of the remaining warm fall days.
Deputy State Epidemiologist Ann Garvey says one threat in particular is still looming.
Doctor Garvey says you should remember the key times of the day when the mosquitoes are active.
Garvey says the West Nile carrying mosquitoes like stagnant water to breed in, so it is important to dump out standing water. There’s been a lot of water in some areas due to flooding, but she says that doesn’t mean the population of West Nile mosquitoes has dramatically increased.
There have already been more than one dozen cases of West Nile confirmed.
Garvey says mosquitoes like the warm fall nights just like you do.
Doctor Garvey says the best repellent contains the chemical known as DEET, and says you should read the label before applying it to children.
West Nile can be fatal in some cases, and the last time that happened in Iowa was in 2010, when there were two deaths.
For more information about West Nile virus, visit the Iowa Department of Public Health’s website at idph.iowa.gov
