West Nile Virus Found in Wichita Falls

The West Nile Virus is back in the news.  According to a City of Wichita Falls press release, The Texas Department of State Health Services laboratory confirmed that a pool of mosquitoes found in Wichita Falls has tested positive for West Nile Virus. The mosquitoes were collected on August 19 from traps as part of a routine mosquito surveillance program.

The minimize your risk, health experts advise the following:

• Stay indoors. Dusk and dawn are the times of day when mosquitoes are most active, so try to stay indoors.
• Dress in long sleeves and pants when outside. For extra protection, you may want to spray thin clothing with repellent.
• Wear DEET insect repellent. Always wear repellant when outdoors and choose products that contain DEET. Please follow instructions on product label.
• Drain standing water in your backyard and neighborhood–old tires, flowerpots and clogged rain gutters are just a few sites that mosquitoes use to breed.

The Health District says they will continue to monitor and treat for mosquitos city wide . To request spraying for live mosquitoes in your area please call 761-7890.   For questions about West Nile virus call 940-761-7848, or visit the CDC website or the Health District’s Facebook page.