The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

State and local public health officials are reminding Montanans to take steps to avoid mosquito bites and prevent infection with West Nile Virus (WNV). In Montana, WNV season usually begins in July and ends in October, as this is when the mosquitoes responsible for it emerge.

The best way to prevent mosquito-borne diseases such as WNV, or any other mosquito-borne illness, is to protect yourself from mosquito bites. While mosquitoes found in Montana are unable to transmit other diseases like Zika virus, they are able to transmit WNV. The virus can also infect horses and birds, with birds servin...