West Nile problems are threatening the Fourth of July celebrations in many areas of the United States, with people being reluctant to staying out for traditional outdoor activities with the looming menace of the disease going on. This is about the peak of the West Nile seasons, after six weeks of weather favoring the plague.

Should you stay out, especially from dawn to dusk, special precautions are needed, including the use of insect repellents and wearing clothes which protect the skin from mosquito bites.

As waters recede, there will be pockets of standing water everywhere, the ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. Authorities have urged people to do their best in clearing out all these pools of muddy water.

The season normally begins in April and lasts until September, but due to warm weather this year, the first cases of the West Nile virus have been reported as early as March 19. The areas that favor mosquito population growth are standing waters, including swimming pools left abandoned. One way of counteracting the rapid spread of these mosquitoes is by inserting mosquito-fish populations into the water (which feed on mosquito larva).

People can support authorities in their fight against mosquitoes by tracing any possible source of infection and by reporting dead corvid birds such as crows, magpies, ravens, jays or raptors. These birds usually die after being infected with West Nile virus. That’s why they can be warning signs that mosquitoes in the area could be carrying the virus. Horses can also be carriers of the virus.

People should keep away not only from mosquitoes, but also from infected animals. The infection starts with one bite from an infected mosquito; for some people this could show no symptoms, while for others could manifest through fever, headache, chills, weakness and drowsiness. The most severe cases lead to meningitis or encephalitis, including low levels of consciousness and fatigue.