West Nile Hits Galveston

OK, so you wouldn't want to get caught in Galveston in a rainstorm (that whole "8 feet above sea level" thing's kind of a bummer), but KHOU's reporting that you might not want to get caught in the days after the storm either. Those days, you see, are full of mosquitos, and mosquitos carry West Nile. Three Galveston County residents have been confirmed as being diagnosed with the virus within the past month. That makes this year the heaviest for West Nile in Galveston County in the past three years.

But don't panic yet: the chances of getting actually sick are very slim, as according to the Center for Disease Control only one percent of the people exposed will actually develop symptoms. Those who do develop a serious disease from the virus often display neck stiffness, disorientation and sometimes tremors.

To minimize your chances of contracting the virus, dress in long pants and sleeves, and take extra trouble with the bug spray--preferrably the kind with DEET or Picaradin.

Image: Andy Ruina