Virus in Mosquitoes HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – Nearly a month after the first positive sample of West Nile Virus in a mosquito for the year was reported in Harris County, positive samples have spiked. Harris County Public Health says as of Tuesday evening, the current number of positive samples of the virus collected in the county stands at 132.Officials say these public samples come from across the county, some from inside the City of Houston all the way out to Tomball. WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) – The Texas Department of State Health Services laboratory confirmed that a pool of mosquitoes from Wichita Falls tested positive for West Nile Virus. The results of these tests were released on Thursday, June 20.The mosquitoes were collected from traps placed in the city as part of the Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District’s routine mosquito surveillance program.
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Virus in Mosquitoes
According to the City of Wichita Falls, the mosquito pool that tested positive was collected in central Wichita Falls; however, those living within the city limits are urged to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites no matter where they are. West Nile Virus can be transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. However, anyone can reduce their risk of being infected by following these precautions, shared by the City of Wichita Falls:
Dump/Drain: Be sure to dump or drain and wipe the sides of containers (such as pet bowls, rain barrels, children’s toys, or tarps, etc.) that hold water. Mosquitoes start their life cycle in the water and many species lay their eggs above the waterline on the inside of containers, which is why it is important to wipe the sides.
Deet: If you are going outside, wear an EPA-approved insect repellent. Be sure to follow the label instructions on application and reapplication. Consult your pediatrician about what age it is appropriate to use an insect repellent on young children and what type they recommend.
Dress: Wear long sleeves and long pants if you are going to be outside especially if you are doing an activity that will stir up mosquitoes resting in the grass such as yard work or outdoor sports.
Dusk/Dawn and all Day: Mosquitoes are generally considered most active at dusk and dawn so when you are able to limit your outdoor activities at those times; however, you should follow proper mosquito precautions any time you are outdoors no matter what time of day.
The City said the Health District’s Environmental Health Division will continue its integrated pest management program for mosquito control. This includes continuing to test mosquitoes for West Nile Virus and other mosquito-borne diseases, treating standing water, eliminating breeding areas and spraying for adult mosquitoes when weather conditions are favorable.
First mosquito of 2024 to test positive for West Nile Virus in Harris County collected from trapping site
1 No human cases have been confirmed so far in 2024.
2 Officials believe heavy rains as well as the heat has contributed to the spike in positive samples collected by the county.
3 Mosquitos are around throughout the year; however, they are more prevalent during the warmer months, and typically most active from June through October. Out of the 56 species of mosquitoes found in our area, only a handful transmit diseases such as West Nile Virus, Chikungunya, Dengue and Zika.
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Most people who are infected with West Nile Virus show no or only mild symptoms such as: low grade fever and headache. More severe signs and symptoms can include high fever, stiff neck, disorientation, encephalitis, and rarely, death. If you think you have been infected with West Nile Virus, contact your healthcare provider.
Mosquito Bites
Protection against mosquito bites during the day and early evening is a key measure to prevent Zika virus infection, especially among pregnant women, women of reproductive age and young children. Personal protection measures include wearing clothing (preferably light-coloured) that covers as much of the body as possible; using physical barriers such as window screens and closed doors and windows; and applying insect repellent to skin or clothing that contains DEET, IR3535 or according to the product label instructions.
Young children and pregnant women should sleep under mosquito nets if sleeping during the day or early evening. Travellers and those living in affected areas should take the same basic precautions described above to protect themselves from mosquito bites. Aedes mosquitoes breed in small collections of water around homes, schools and work sites. It is important to eliminate these mosquito breeding sites, including covering water storage containers, removing standing water in flower pots, and cleaning up trash and used tires. Community initiatives are essential to support local government and public health programs to reduce mosquito breeding sites. Health authorities may also advise use of larvicides and insecticides to reduce mosquito populations and disease spread.
Take Action
There are also several ways to take action and reduce mosquito populations.
1 When using mosquito repellent, keep these points in mind.
2 Use as directed by the label instructions on the product.
3 Do not use insect repellents on babies younger than 2 months of age.
4 Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol on children younger than 3 years of age.
5 Apply an EPA-registered repellent on yourself and your loved ones when outdoors. 6 When possible, wear long sleeves, pants, and socks.
7 Treat standing water with larvicides in areas where water cannot be covered, emptied, or removed and will not be used for drinking. Larvicides are a type of pesticide that is applied to kill mosquitoes in their early stages of development (larvae) before they become biting adults. They are sold in forms of liquid, tablets, pellets, granules, and briquettes and available in most hardware stores. Larvicides are safe to use for the environment. Follow the instructions of the larvicide product you are using.
8 Make sure to completely turn off outdoor faucets to prevent leaks; fix any faucets that are constantly leaking.
9 Keep tight-fitting screens on doors and windows.
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