Health Officials Warn of Dangers of West Nile this Fall

With fall upon us, many people are thinking about cooler weather.

Yet health officials say summer's dangers are still all around us, meaning you need to take precautions.

Fall may arrive this weekend, but its still warm enough that people are out here playing golf well into the evening.

Along with these golfers though, are even more mosquitoes ready to bite.

As we saw earlier this week in St. Louis, that can turn deadly.

From the golf course to city parks, people are tking advantage of this week's unseasonably warm weather - people like Amber Waltz and her four little ones.

Waltz says being a mother has made her even more conscious when it comes to protection from West Nile. She buys organic, kid friendly bug repellant to keep her kids safe at the playground.

"I like for them to get outside and I don't want them to get West Nile, definitely,” she says.

Karen Coleman and Lacey Hignett have even more people to watch out for. The two caregivers are responsible for several special needs clients.

"We put some bug spray on them,” says Hignett.  “Try to do what we can to not get them bit, because it is very dangerous."

“It will take a really good frost, a really good freeze actually, before we might feel safer,” says Coleman.

Karen McKinnis says everyone should wear repellant when heading out in the early morning and evening hours. That's because until cold temperatures arrive, we're all at risk.

“We don't want to classify anyone out. It's just a general precaution we should all take in this area."

And she should know. As Greene County’s health planner, McKinnis has seen West Nile become a major health concern in this state. It's a reason she now stocks up on bug spray, wipes, and other repellants to hand out at fairs and to those who spend a lot of time outside.

McKinnis says even when the temperatures cool off, the bite of winter may not keep mosquitoes from biting.

"They can survive winter if they're in enough place to get enough shelter."

Once those cooler temperatures arrive, most mosquitoes go dormant because it's just too cold for them to be flying around.

Yet until the first few freezes, health officials say wear repellant and long clothing when possible.

These warnings come after news this week that a 51-year-old woman died in St. Louis from the West Nile Virus.