SAN ANTONIO – A mosquito tested positive recently for West Nile virus in San Antonio, officials said.
According to Bexar County officials, the Metro Health Department on June 22 confirmed a mosquito pool located off Loop 410 and Ray Ellison Boulevard tested positive for the disease.
Recommended Videos
The discovery prompted county officials to remind residents to protect themselves from mosquitos over the summer.
- Clothing - Wear shoes, socks, and long pants and long-sleeves. This type of protection may be necessary for people who must work in areas where mosquitoes are present.
- Repellent - Apply mosquito repellent to bare skin and clothing.
- If possible, stay indoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
Officials also urge residents to take the following measures to keep mosquitoes from multiplying.
- Drain water from garbage cans, house gutters, buckets, pool covers, coolers, toys, flower pots or any other containers where sprinkler or rain water has collected.
- Discard old tires, drums, bottles, cans, pots and pans, broken appliances and other items that aren’t being used.
- Empty and clean birdbaths and pet water bowls at least once or twice a week.
- Protect boats and vehicles from rain with tarps that don’t accumulate water.
- Maintain swimming pools in good condition and appropriately chlorinated.
- Empty plastic swimming pools when not in use.
Over the last several months, Bexar County Public Works staff has implemented various mosquito abatement methods, covering more than 4,200 acres of public ditches, drainage areas, standing water and county parks, a news release said.
Larvicide treatments have been employed to mitigate mosquito eggs since the spring season and regular fogging activities commenced in May. The fogging agent utilized is environmentally safe and effectively eliminates adult mosquitoes.
For more information on mosquito-borne disease activity, including West Nile virus, click here.