Georgetown mosquito samples test positive for West Nile Virus

GEORGETOWN, TX - The City of Georgetown released a press release on Tuesday stating that a pair of mosquito samples tested positive for West Nile Virus. The two positive tests were indicated in lab results received Monday afternoon from the Texas Department of State Health Services lab in Austin.

According to the release, the samples were collected in traps on October 20. The species of mosquito that tested positive for West Nile Virus was Culex quinquefasciatus, also known as the Southern house mosquito. This species of mosquito has a flight range of about one mile.

The city of Georgetown will be spraying insecticide in the areas of the positive samples due to the number of children and adults who will be outside in the evening for trick-or-treating this weekend.

A City vehicle will spray a permethrin-based insecticide along the street right-of-way and in public parks in the designated areas from 1 to 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, weather permitting.

The City is developing a schedule with details on neighborhoods where spraying will be done and will publicize that schedule as soon as it is available.

There have been no reports of human cases of West Nile Virus in Williamson County this year.

The City and the Health District remind residents to practice the Four Ds to reduce the risk of bites or WNV exposure:

Eliminating places where mosquitos can breed and reducing the chances of mosquito bites are the best lines of defense against exposure to West Nile virus.

For information on insecticide spraying and schedules, go to the City of Georgetown website at georgetown.org. For more information on West Nile Virus, go to the WCCHD website at wcchd.org or visit the Texas Department of State Health Services West Nile website at txwestnile.org.