2 More People Die From West Nile Virus In El Paso

The El Paso Public Health Department announced that 2 more people have died from complications due to the West Nile virus.  The 2 men were 25 and 68 years old, and the Public Health Department says it's time to revisit some precautionary measures you should be taking to help keep your family safe from the mosquitos that carry West Nile.

The bad news is there is no vaccine for West Nile.  You can really only take steps to keep yourself safe from being bitten by mosquitos.  Unfortunately, the only way to really stay safe from the mosquitoes that carry it is to stay inside and wrap your house in a foot of plastic.  As appealing as that sounds, eventually you're going to need to run out and replenish your mango margarita supplies, and your little beasties are going to have to go to school or else you're going to get a visit from the truant officer.  So what is a mom to do?

There are four things, actually:

1.  Make sure there is no standing water around your home.  Standing water is Viagra for mosquitoes - they'll start dancing, breed, and then BAM!  You and your family have West Nile!  It looks kind of like this:

That's what the dancing and breeding looks like, not what the West Nile virus looks like. 

2.  Use insect repellant with DEET.  It's really easy to find.  You just look on the ingredient list for 'DEET'.  See?  It's that easy.

3.  Dress in long, loose, and light colored clothing.  Apparently, mosquitoes won't be attracted to you if you wear short, tight, dark colored clothing.  What can we deduce from this?  That mosquitoes are nothing like men.

4.  Do more of 2 and 3.

If you want more details about West Nile virus and why you need to - in all seriousness - be worried about it, click here.

And remember, mosquitoes don't discriminate, they love to bite everyone, so drink your mango margaritas inside your house at dusk.  It'll keep you from getting bitten and them from drinking all the mango margaritas.  Trust me on this one, they're margarita hogs.