Nebraska has had the West Nile Virus since the early 2000s and in the first couple years, the numbers of people who got the virus were in the thousands.
Dr. Tom Safranek, State Epidemiologist for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, says the number of individuals who have contracted West Nile Virus in the last several years has decreased and is now between 50 and 100.
He says much of that is due to people taking the proper precautions to fight the bite.
Safranek says the two biggest things you can do to minimize mosquito bites are to wear insect repellant and eliminate any standing water in the vicinity of your home.
"In addition, wearing long clothing that covers parts of your body where you could get bit. And if possible, avoiding being outdoors at dusk when mosquitos are more active and then in the early dawn. Those are high risk times for this Culex tarsalis mosquito that spreads West Nile Virus.”
Safranek says this is also the prime season for ticks.
But you’re not likely to get ticks just from walking in your backyard. He says most people who pick up a tick do so in a nature setting, a wilder environment.
Safranek says it’s important to do frequent tick checks after being outside.
For more information on ticks and tick removal, the website iscdc.gov/ticks. Information on the West Nile Virus is online at DHHS.ne.gov/wnv