Protecting Yourself Against Mosquitoes

ROCKVILLE, Md. - With one case of West Nile Virus already confirmed in Montgomery County and the other in Baltimore County, health officials say now is the time to do a quick survey of your backyard to make sure you aren't adding to the mosquito population.

Basically, you need to turn over, and toss out any standing water around your home.

"It only takes a quarter of an inch of water for mosquitoes to breed," said Cindy Edwards of the Montgomery County Health Department.

Keep in mind, dawn and dusk are prime times for mosquitoes, so it is best to avoid outdoor activities then. If you have to be outside during those times, wear long pants, long sleeves and a hat to ward off the biting bugs. And insect repellant is your best friend.

"Look for a product with 30 percent DEET," Edwards said.

Susan Levi, who got malaria in Nepal when she was younger, is on a mission to zap as many mosquitoes as she can. She's part of the Mosquito Squad - a company that will come out and spray your outdoor space before big events - or throughout the entire season.

"We come out and we will apply in a spray in the foliage where the mosquitoes harbor underneath. That's where they get their nutrition, from the sugars in plants," Levi said. "They don't fly very far, so we'll also be hitting their resting places too."

And they promise quick results.

"We're going to be reducing your mosquito population by 85 to 90 percent," said Levi.

Calls for service at the Mosquito Squad have gone up as the temperatures have dropped, and more people headed outdoors have realized how annoying the mosquitoes are now. Health officials say there could be more cases of West Nile out there that they don't know about yet.

Both of the Maryland West Nile victims are recovering. The elderly and people with compromised immune systems suffer the most from the illness which attacks the nervous system. Symptoms include a fever, body aches, skin rashes and swollen lymph glands within three to 15 days after contact with an infective mosquito.

You can find a lot more information about West Nile at:

www.montgomerycountymd.gov

www.mosquitosquad.com