KINGSVILLE, Tx — The Kingsville City Health Department has announced a mosquito found in a trap tested positive for the West Nile Virus.
On Friday, Kingsville City Health Director Emilio Garcia announced a mosquito trapped in the 700 block of East Warren Avenue on Tuesday, August 13 was sent to Austin for testing. The city was notified on Friday that it tested positive for West Nile virus.
In response, crews will spray the impacted locations Aug. 23 through Sunday evening.
Luckily, no one has tested positive for West Nile, but they want people to know the symptoms.
Some people with West Nile Virus could be asymptomatic or develop a mild flu-like illness, however, in rare cases, West Nile Virus infection can cause central nervous system damage and even death.
Garcia says the three days of spraying should significantly decrease the risk of transmission.
Once the three days of spraying are over, crews will trap mosquitoes in the impacted areas again to retest mosquito pools at those specific sites.
In the meantime, residents are asked to avoid outdoor activity at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
If you have to be outdoors during these times, the health department recommends residents wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts and use a mosquito repellent that contains DEET.
Property owners are also asked to clear any standing water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
