TODAY. IT HAS BEEN A RAINY SPRING. WITH A RAINY SPRING AND ABOVE AVERAGE RUNOFF, THERE IS A LOT OF STAGNANT WATER THIS SUMMER. WAVERLE: AND THAT MEANS WE’LL LIKELY HAVE A BAD MOSQUITO SEASON. SO WITH MORE ON HOW TO AVOID GETTING BIT THIS SUMMER WE’RE JOINED BY DOCTOR RENUGA VIVEKANANDAN FROM CHI HEALTH. SHE WILL TALK TO US ABOUT MOSQUITOES. HOW CAN PEOPLE AVOID GETTING BIT? DR. VIVEKANANDAN: ONE THING YOU CAN DO IS AROUND THE HOMES AND NEIGHBORHOODS MAKING SURE THERE IS NO STAGNANT WATER. IF THERE IS, MAKE SURE YOU ELIMINATE IT. ANOTHER WAY TO DO IT IS TO HAVE MOSQUITO REPELLENT. YOU SHOULDN’T USE -- YOU SHOULD USE PRODUCTS WITH D. -- DEET. YOU CAN WEAR A LONGSLEEVED SHIRT AND PANTS THAT HAVE A REPELLENT IN THEM. JAMES: YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO SCRATCH THE BITES. DR. VIVEKANANDAN: THE BEST THING TO DO IS WASH IT WITH SOAP AND WATER. SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET INFLAMMATION AND SOMETIMES YOU CAN PUT ICE TO HELP HEAL IT. IF YOU DO GET ITCHING, YOU COULD USE SOME CALAMINE LOTION OR HYDROCORTISONE CREAM. WAVERLE: WE HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST NUMBER FOUR WEST NOW DEATHS. WHAT SHOULD THEY LOOK FOR? DR. VIVEKANANDAN: 80% WITH WEST NILE DEVELOP RARE PROBLEMS. SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET MENTAL STATUS CHANGE AND THEN THAT IS WHEN YOU NEED TO BE HOSPITALIZED. IT ONLY HAPPENS TO ELDERLY PATIENTS OR IF YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IS WEAK. FOR 80% OF US, EVEN IF YOU DEVELOP WEST NILE SYMPTOMS, IT IS MILD AND RESOLVES IN A FEW DAYS