Mosquito Mortalities It's time to start getting serious about mosquitos this year. The spread of West Nile virus has increased and fatalities have been reported. 28 people have died so far in California from catching West Nil virus from mosquitos. Most of those deaths were senior citizens, who health officials say are at a higher risk of catching the virus and experiencing complications. 517 people have been reported to have caught the virus as of last week. As the West Nile virus activity is more widespread than it has ever has been, people need to be vigilant about mosquito bites. While the risk of getting seriously ill from the virus is low for most people, about 1 percent of individuals have the chance of also developing serious neurological diseases such as meningitis and encephalitis. Experts recommend wearing insect repellant and protective clothing to stave off mosquitos, especially around dawn and dusk. They are also advising people to empty any water-containing vessels, as mosquitos can lay their eggs in them, even if it's as little as an ounce of water. Have you had problems with mosquitos this year? What are you doing to protect yourself against them?