Experts note that a wetter-than-normal spring has provided an ideal environment for mosquito-breeding.
That can mean more than itchy skin.
Over
the last seven years, the Oklahoma City-County Health Department
reports, the Sooner State has seen 318 confirmed cases of the West Nile
virus, which can be transmitted via mosquito bite. Last year alone, 33
people in Oklahoma County were hospitalized with West Nile, with two of
those cases proving fatal.
But
don’t let the mosquitoes ruin your outdoor fun. Health experts suggest
wearing insect repellent, especially one that contains DEET. They also
recommend that you drain any standing liquid on or around your property
and staying indoors at dusk and dawn.
And while Chicken-Fried News is no entomologist, we also recommend killing as many mosquitoes as you can.
This article appears in Jun 19-25, 2013.