Metro Family Warns Of West Nile Virus

In the front yard of their Choctaw home, among some of Kayla Gamble's grandmother's favorite things, is now a memorial for 77-year-old Cleo Lee.

“She was a strong woman,” said Gamble. Lee rode motorcycles, was a heck of a pool player and she even raced modified sprint cars back in the day, Gamble told News 9.

“I can remember standing in the grand stands, just cheering,” she explained.

Gamble said her independent grandmother was infected with the West Nile Virus in September of 2016 and she fought hard. But Gamble said her grandmother she passed away last month.

The Oklahoma City-County Health Department (OCCHD) offers weekly updates on the current risk for West Nile. For the first time this year, its "skeeter meter" is at high.

“It means there are a lot of mosquitoes out there. Our mosquito numbers in our traps basically doubled last week,” said Phil Maytubby, the Director of Public Health Protection with the OCCHD.

Lee’s family takes several measures to keep mosquitoes away, and they are urging others to protect themselves too. “You don’t think it’s going to happen to you or your family, but it does,” said Gamble.

Experts recommend wearing insect repellant, getting rid of any amount of water on your property, and wearing long sleeves and pants.