State officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say people aren't helpless against West Nile virus. Among the tips:

• If you're out between dusk and dawn, wear clothes that cover your skin and use a repellent containing DEET, which confuses mosquitoes so they won't see you. Use up to 10 percent concentration for children (none on the littlest guys) and up to around 30 percent for adults.

• Keep grass clipped.

• Get rid of water sources such as old tires and ponds. (If you have a pond, use larvae-killing tablets or fish that eat mosquitoes.) Clean out leaf-filled rain gutters.

• Repair screens and keep windows closed at night.