DENVER — Last year, Colorado had 50 people die from West Nile virus – the worst outbreak in the country and one of the worst in state history. Denver had the most cases of any Colorado county.
As summer approaches, Denver's health department is sending out field staff to get a jump on preventing and controlling West Nile virus spread by mosquitoes.
Officials with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment went out Monday to inspect water-rich areas, looking for mosquito larvae. The health department said to be wary of pools of water because they could be breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
"Sometimes the biggest surprise is right in your own backyard," DDPHE investigator Brian Tietze said. "Some of the worst cases we've seen is those plastic kiddie pools. If you've got a six-inch round kiddie pool with a couple inches of water, you could have potentially thousands of little mosquito larvae."
To prevent mosquito bites, health officials reminded people to use insect repellant, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, avoid being outside at dawn and dusk and try to avoid any standing water.
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