The D.C. Department of Health says it has identified the deadly West Nile virus in mosquito samples taken in the District and is warning residents to take caution. The elderly and those with suppressed immune systems are most vulnerable to the virus. The health department suggests residents in those categories stay indoors when mosquitoes are active, primarily around sunset and again around sunrise. The virus causes flu-like symptoms that can turn deadly. When the health department finds infected mosquitoes, they douse sitting pools of water in the area with larvicide, which kills mosquito larva before they can grow into adults. Residents can fight the battle, too, by eliminating standing pools of water in and on any object around their homes, the department said. — Freeman Klopott
