Iowa has its first case of West Nile Virus this year. An unidentified woman from Woodbury County is recovering from the mosquito-borne disease, which has caused four deaths in Iowa since 2004. State epidemiologist Dr. Patricia Quinlisk says it’s relatively early in the year for the first confirmed case.
Quinlisk says, "The test is such that we can’t tell if the person got ill this season or maybe it’s an illness from late last season and that’s why she’s tested positive – but the bottom line is we do believe we have West Nile around in Iowa and people need to understand that and take precautions."
Quinlisk is encouraging Iowans to wear mosquito repellent and get rid of any standing water around their home. "One thing people don’t realize is that some of these mosquitoes don’t fly very far," Quinlisk says, "so if you can get rid of the places mosquitoes breed around your house, it really helps reduce the number of mosquitoes you have." Quinlisk says, if you have bird baths, you should change the water in those every three to four days.