Watch for areas of standing water around the home and empty them or replace the water frequently. This would include old tires, birdbaths, swimming pools, or any other container holding stagnant water. Try to limit outdoor activities during prime mosquito hours, such as dusk. Closely follow label instruction when using repellents. When bitten, use an ointment to limit scratching.
Excessive scratching can lead to further skin irritation and infection.
The Iowa Department of Public Health, in cooperation with Iowa State University and the University of Iowa Hygienic Lab, have several mosquito monitoring programs in place to track insect population and provide an early warning of mosquito-borne diseases. Another concern with the excessive rainfall is the possibility that mold could be a problem in the state. Mold problems can occur when things are both damp and when they have dried out. Molds tend to grow in areas that have porous material, such as carpeting, wallboards, drywall and ceiling tiles. Cleaning mold is a simply as using a household disinfect or a 10 percent bleach solution to thoroughly scrub the area and then drying out the area. .