According to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) the first confirmed illnesses in California due to West Nile virus (WNV) were reported last week. The four illnesses occurred in Los Angeles, Kern and Riverside Counties. Kaiser Permanente has tips to protect yourself.
Prevention is the best way to protect yourself and your loves ones from West Nile and other mosquito-borne illnesses.
Kaiser Permanente urges you to:
- If you have a baby or child, spray insect repellant onto your hands and then apply to a child’s face, do not use on babies younger than 2 months of age.
- Use insect repellent containing DEET when you go outdoors.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
- Do not leave puddles or open containers of water near your house. Mosquitoes breed in standing water.
- Stay indoors at dawn, at dusk, and in the early evening when mosquitoes are the most active.
