You may be eager to spend the final days of summer outside, but you'll want to avoid being bit by mosquitoes.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00You may be eager to spend the final days of summer outside, but you'll want to avoid being bit by mosquitoes.
00:07Concerns are growing over mosquito-borne illnesses on the rise in the U.S.
00:12Five more people have died from West Nile virus, which has been contracted by nearly 300 Americans this year.
00:19Not every mosquito carries it, so getting bitten by a mosquito doesn't mean you're going to get West Nile virus.
00:27But the mosquitoes that have been infected, when they bite you, they can transmit it to humans.
00:32Eastern equine encephalitis, an even deadlier virus, has led to one death after six cases were reported recently.
00:40These viruses are causing so much concern, major cities are spraying pesticides to control mosquito populations.
00:47Spraying is conducted at night, so it's typically occurring from dusk to dawn.
00:53People with known sensitivities to chemicals or with respiratory conditions such as asthma are encouraged to stay indoors during the spraying.
01:03Over 4,000 cases of dengue, another disease carried by mosquitoes, has also been reported this year.
01:09For instance, in Florida, we've got locally transmitted cases.
01:13And then in the Northeast, New York, New Jersey, they're reporting a couple hundred cases.
01:19And I believe those were mostly acquired through travel, but it's still just not something we'd seen before.
01:24There are many ways to keep safe from mosquitoes, including wearing long sleeves to cover your skin and removing unnecessary standing water in your yard.
01:33I think for West Nile and most mosquito-related illnesses, the best protection is prevent mosquito bites.
01:40And so at a personal level, if you're going to travel or if you're around areas where there may be a lot of exposures to mosquito bites, just make sure you're using the repellents that are safe for you.
01:56For AccuWeather, I'm Emmy Victor.