This is a reminder from the city of Chicago Department of Public Health to take steps to prevent West Nile virus by eliminating standing water in yards to reduce the mosquito population.

The Department of Health has issued the following recommendations: Eliminate standing water that lasts more than 4 days, turning over wheelbarrows and wading pools when not in use, cleaning and chlorinating swimming pools, keeping water from collecting on pool covers and re­moving items that may hold water, including buckets, cans, old tires, bottles, jars, cups and saucers placed under flower pots.

Officials also ask people to ensure that rain gutters and downspouts are not clogged, change the water in birdbaths and in pets' water bowls every 3 to 4 days, keep grass and bushes trimmed and fill in low spots on lawns.

You are also urged to check that all screens are tight-fitting and holes.

A team of city departments will work together reduce standing water in parks, construction sites and other places, apply larviciding chemicals to the more than 200,000 public catch basins and. if necessary, supervise aerial spraying to kill adult mosquitoes.

According to the department, an expert national perspective on the virus can be found on the Internet at http://cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm.

Members of a city task force on the virus have sought ways to improve methods of disease surveillance, mosquito control and public education for 2003.