Nine samples of mosquitoes collected in Williamson County have tested positive for West Nile virus, the Williams County and Cities Health District (WCCHD) announced recently.
Due to the number of children and adults who will be outside in the evening for Halloween activities over the weekend, officials with the City of Georgetown have responded by spraying a pyrethrin-based insecticide in the vicinity of the positive samples. Pyrethrin is a chemical that can be found in chrysanthemums.
Williamson County parks staff are continuing mosquito control efforts with the treatment of standing water with larvacide. WCCHD encourages everyone to be especially vigilant about protecting themselves from mosquito bites when outdoors – and preventing mosquito breeding on their personal property.
Officials say there have been no reported human cases of West Nile virus in Williamson County in 2016.
What you can do
As part of its Fight the Bite campaign, the WCCHD recommends these mosquito safety precautions:
Defend by using an EPA-approved insect repellent,
Dress in long sleeves and pants when outdoors, especially at Dusk and Dawn, and
Drain standing water in flower pots, pet dishes or clogged gutters so mosquitoes don’t have a place to breed. Treat water that can’t be drained.
For more information, visit the WCCHD website or the Texas Department of State Health Services West Nile website.
