The Albany County Health Department had confirmed its first human case of West Nile virus and took the opportunity to remind all of us to protect ourselves from those pesky mosquitoes. Our Erin Vannella reports.

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ALBANY COUNTY, N.Y. -- "They have been here every day with a vengeance," Guilderland resident Colleen Mickle said.

Running away from mosquitoes, park goe's try to avoid getting bitten and getting sick.

"When you stand still you just, they love your ankles and your hands so yeah it's definitely been a little bit heavier mosquito season," Mickle said.

"It's definitely worse. There's so much standing water in the fields it's gotta add to it," Guilderland resident Matthew Wright said.

The NYS Department of Health blames recent flooding in much of the state for the increased insect population and says that's likely the reason for Albany County's first ever confirmed human case of West Nile virus.

"We do know that it was an older individual and older individuals, anybody the age of 50 or older is at some increased risk for developing more severe illness from a West Nile virus infection," said Health Department Physician Christine Compton.

The Health Department says it's not a reason be alarmed so much as to be more careful since there's a lot you can do to protect yourself.

Compton said, "Easy things like putting on insect repellent when you go outdoors, wearing appropriate clothing, long sleeves, slacks will help decrease the amount of exposed skin area."

Try not to harbor mosquitoes either. Dump any standing water in buckets or old tires and make sure window screens are in good shape. But for those that sneak through anyway, take comfort in this...

"Eighty percent of people will not even realize that they've even been infected. About 20 percent of people may have some mild symptoms and only about one in 150 that are infected with the virus will develop severe illness," Compton said.