West Nile virus has been popping up across the country over the last few days, from New York's Long Island, to Dallas, Texas, to the Phoenix-metro area in Arizona.

The Associated Press reported that cases of the virus are off to an early start -- with 241 in July alone, so far -- which may be the result of the early spring and hot summer. West Nile cases tend to be most common during the summer and fall, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Since 1999, there have been 13,000 cases of serious West Nile virus, and 1,200 deaths from the virus, the CDC reported.

West Nile virus symptoms aren't always severe or apparent -- most people will not even know they have the virus, the Mayo Clinic reported. And in about one in five cases, the symptoms are mild (headache, fever or body aches) and go away by themselves.

But rarely -- less than 1 percent of cases -- symptoms will be severe and require hospitalization. When the symptoms are extreme, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), surrounding membranes or spinal cord (meningitis) can occur. When a case is serious, symptoms usually include having convulsions or tremors, confusion, terrible headache, high fever, paralysis of part of the body, and even coma, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The CDC added that in these severe cases, symptoms can last weeks, and some of the effects may never go away.

For most instances of West Nile virus that aren't serious, over-the-counter medicines can help with symptoms like headache or muscle aches, the Mayo Clinic reported. For more serious cases of West Nile that lead to encephalitis or meningitis, a person will need to receive treatment in a hospital to receive medicines and IVs.

West Nile virus is only spread to humans from mosquito bites, and it's not contagious between people, according to the New York City Department of Health. Mosquitoes become carriers of the virus when they bite a bird that has the virus.

The best way to protect yourself from West Nile is to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes, the CDC said. You can protect yourself by applying insect repellant, and doing your part to reduce mosquito breeding by getting rid of standing water, the New York City Department of Health said.

For more ways to avoid mosquito bites, click through the slideshow:

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  • Avoid Dusk And Dawn

    The evening and early morning hours are <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/prevention_info.htm" target="_hplink">peak biting times for many mosquito species</a>, according to the CDC, so consider ramping up your protection or staying inside at these times if you can. <br><br> But, Conlon warns, other species bite during the day, too. "Whenever you're present, you're on the menu," he says. <br><br> <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/activesteve/5628626857/" target="_hplink">ActiveSteve</a></em>

  • Eat Garlic

    Garlic has long been rumored to ward off mosquitoes, but there isn't much research to back up the claims. However, <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090130154901.htm" target="_hplink">garlic does have some healthy benefits</a>, thanks to the powerful antioxidant allicin that gives it its smell and flavor. Adding a little extra garlic to your summer diet certainly won't hurt! <br><br> Pure garlic oil, on the other hand, when rubbed on the skin <em>will</em> repel mosquitos -- for around 20 minutes -- but it will probably repel everyone around you as well, jokes Conlon. <br><br> There is one ingestible to avoid, however. The <em>New York Times</em> reports that alcohol is just about the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/24/health/24real.html" target="_hplink">only food or beverage proven to have a true effect on mosquitos</a>, and the bad news is it attracts them. A small 2002 study showed that more mosquitoes landed on beer drinkers than tee-totalers. <br><br> <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenorton/2212742541/" target="_hplink">lowjumpingfrog</a></em>

  • Avoid Scented Shampoos, Soaps And Perfumes

    This one is mostly rumor, says Conlon. When they're not feasting on humans, mosquitos obtain some nourishment from plants, so the thinking goes that if you smell like a pretty flower, a bug might mistake you for one, but it's never been proven, he says.

  • Citronella

    A small study from 2002 found that <a href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa011699#t=articleResults" target="_hplink">citronella-based repellents</a> keep bugs away for about 20 minutes or less. <br><br> While the plant-based oil is thought to smell bad to mosquitoes, it's not highly unpleasant to humans, so if you feel like it works, there's no reason to stop using it, says Conlon, but there may be a bit of a placebo effect going on, he says. <br><br> The same study found that other plant-based repellents, like geranium oil, didn't provide lasting protection either. However, protection from <a href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa011699#t=articleResults" target="_hplink">soybean-oil-based repellents</a> lasted about 90 minutes. <br><br> <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elwillo/5021856163/" target="_hplink">Keith Williamson</a></em>

  • Burn A Candle

    Whether you light citronella candles or decorative patio torches, smoke will keep mosquitos at bay, says Conlon. <br><br> <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tedsblog/904732/" target="_hplink">TedsBlog</a></em>

  • Cover Up

    The CDC recommends wearing long sleeves, pants, hats and closed-toed shoes instead of sandals to <a href="http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/mosquito-tick.htm" target="_hplink">cover exposed skin</a>. In the dead of summer, this might not always be appropriate, but if you have to be outside during dusk or dawn, when temperatures are likely to be cooler, long sleeves may be more practical. <br><br> "Any exposed skin is 'fair game,'" says Conlon.

  • B Vitamins

    According to the Mayo Clinic, taking a daily dose of <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mosquito-bites/DS01075/DSECTION=alternative-medicine" target="_hplink">75 to 150 milligrams of vitamin B-1</a> (thiamin) could slightly change your scent in a way that might keep mosquitoes away, but the research isn't conclusive. <br><br> <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seanmichaelragan/6254362902/" target="_hplink">seanmichaelragan</a></em>

  • Eliminate Standing Water

    Any pools or puddles around your home or yard can quickly become mosquito breeding ground. The Mayo Clinic recommends unclogging roof gutters, emptying any kids' pools, changing the water in any bird baths weekly, making sure rain is not accumulating in trash can lids and storing flower pots or any other unused containers upside down, <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mosquito-bites/ds01075/dsection=prevention" target="_hplink">among other tips you can see here</a>. <br><br> <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elias_daniel/281970867/" target="_hplink">elias_daniel</a></em>

  • Stay Close To The Fan

    "Mosquitoes are bad fliers," <a href="http://www.cleveland.com/insideout/index.ssf/2010/06/preventing_mosquito_bites_so_b.html" target="_hplink">Dave Shetlar, an Ohio State University professor of urban landscape entomology</a> told Cleveland.com. Perch yourself near ceiling fans on patios, porches or open-air restaurants that have them. <br><br> <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lipstickproject/4637258947/" target="_hplink">JMacPherson</a></em>

  • Ditch The Bug Zapper

    These electronic gadgets will wind up killing bigger bugs, like moths, rather than mosquitoes, says Conlon. <br><br> In fact, an entomology professor from the University of Delaware published a study in 1996 showing that out of nearly 14,000 insects killed by six zappers in one summer, <a href="http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/improvement/4323044" target="_hplink">only 31 were biting fliers</a>, <em>Popular Mechanics</em> reported. Another 2,000 were beneficial bugs that keep real pests at bay, and the others were harmless species. <br><br> Plus, mosquitoes are <a href="http://www.cleveland.com/insideout/index.ssf/2010/06/preventing_mosquito_bites_so_b.html" target="_hplink">attracted to <em>dim</em> light</a>, so they may fly toward the zapper initially, but they'll likely turn away from the thing when they get too close, according to Cleveland.com. <br><br> <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hfb/182343058/" target="_hplink">hfb</a></em>

  • Lemon Eucalyptus Oil

    The CDC, <em>Consumer Reports</em> and other outlets recommend this "very good repellent" Conlon says, which, at 40 percent concentration will ward off mosquitoes and ticks. <br><br> However, it isn't recommended for <a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/health/healthy-living/beauty-personal-care/insect-repellent/overview/index.htm" target="_hplink">children under 3</a>, according to <em>Consumer Reports</em>. Conlon explains that isn't necessarily because of toxicity, however. "I think they probably haven't taken the time to get the [EPA] registration," he says, a timely and costly process, when children under 3 can be protected in other ways, like dressing them appropriately, he says. <br><br> <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fairfaxcounty/7352235208/" target="_hplink">fairfaxcounty</a></em>

  • Catnip Oil

    According to a 2001 study, this natural repellent is <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/08/010828075659.htm" target="_hplink">10 times more effective than DEET</a>. Since then, scientists have been studying its repellency, and Dow Chemical is in the process of getting EPA registration for a new catnip-based product, says Conlon. Of course, every consumer will have to weigh the cost and the benefits, he jokes. You'll repel mosquitoes wearing the stuff, but you're likely to attract cats! <br><br> <em>Flickr photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cygnus921/2598483750/" target="_hplink">cygnus921</a> </em>

  • IR3535

    This cryptically-named repellent, most well-known as the active ingredient in Avon Skin So Soft, is characterized by the EPA as a "biopesticide repellent," meaning it is in fact derived from natural materials. However, the same 2002 study found this compound <a href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa011699#t=articleResults" target="_hplink">protects against mosquitoes for only about 23 minutes</a>. <br><br> <em>Photo from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Avon-Guard-IR3535-EXPEDITION-Spray/dp/B00199RQ5S/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1339188213&sr=1-1" target="_hplink">Amazon.com</a></em>

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