West Nile virus is a potentially serious disease that can affect anyone, but especially people over the age of 60. Only about 20% of people infected will experience any symptoms, which include headaches, body aches, joint pains and fatigue. About 1 in 150 people will develop a severe illness.
There is no vaccine or treatment for West Nile virus, so experts recommend prevention as the best way to stop any spread.
Doc Weissmann, chief entomologist at Vector Disease Control International, said:
"If you're outside at dusk or dawn, wear a mosquito repellent. Wear long sleeves so that they don't have as much surface to bite. Those are simple things you can do to avoid getting bit. If you are sitting on the porch, just have a fan blowing. They're not strong flyers. So something as simple as a fan blowing might keep them away as well. So there's certain things we can do to avoid get getting bit."
One thing experts say surprises a lot of people is that mosquitoes do not need a large pond or puddle to breed. Something as small as water sitting in a flower pot or bucket for several days can become a breeding site. Experts recommend emptying and cleaning up those areas.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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