West Nile Virus reached a record-setting season in Iowa last summer and is again in the state. The Iowa Department of Public Health says West Nile Virus has been confirmed in Iowa this summer. West Nile Virus can be a serious illness and is transmitted when infected mosquitoes bite humans. Washington County Public Health Nurse Lynn Fisher recommends eliminating any potential breeding pools for mosquitoes in your yard, “One of the most important things you can do around your house to prevent mosquitoes breeding is changing water in your birdbath every couple of days. I know a lot of my flower containers have a lot of standing water in the dishes and even in the containers, get that water out of there, it’s perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. Baby pools, they should be emptied out or tipped over, not let the water stand in there. The water changed, you know dog water bowls. A person doesn’t even think about how many place there are [with] water outside.” Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water.

Fisher also recommends wearing insect repellent, long sleeves, hats, and pants to protect your skin. And she adds that mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk. Last year, 104 Iowans were diagnosed with West Nile virus and nine Iowans died.