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Mosquito trap tests positive for West Nile virus in Georgetown

By FOX 7 Austin Digital Team
Published  May 25, 2023 7:22pm CDT
Health
FOX 7 Austin

GEORGETOWN, Texas - A mosquito trap sample collected in Georgetown has tested positive for West Nile virus.

The positive test was indicated in lab results received on May 25 from the Texas Department of State Health Services lab in Austin.

The positive sample was collected from a trap site near Geneva Park located near 1021 Quail Valley Drive, 78626. The last date a positive sample was collected from this location was October 2022.

This is the first reported West Nile virus positive trap of the 2023 season, and the earliest that West Nile virus has been detected in a mosquito sample in Williamson County since the mosquito sampling program began in 2013. 

In 2022, there were four mosquito trap samples that returned positive samples for West Nile virus in Williamson County. There was one human case of West Nile virus reported in Williamson County in 2022.

Mosquitoes are present in Central Texas year-round, but the population is largest and most active from May through November. During this period, WCCHD monitors the mosquito population and tests for mosquito-borne viruses.

Symptoms of infection may include fever, headache, and body aches, a skin rash on the trunk of the body, and swollen lymph nodes. Those age 50 and older and/or with compromised immune systems are at a higher risk for severe symptoms, which may include stiffness, disorientation, coma, tremors, vision loss, paralysis, and in rare cases, death. 

What you can do:

Eliminating places where mosquitoes can breed and reducing the chances of mosquito bites are the most effective lines of defense against exposure to West Nile Virus. As part of its Fight the Bite campaign the Health District recommends the 3 Ds of mosquito safety:

  • Drain standing water in flowerpots, pet dishes, or clogged gutters, so mosquitoes don’t have a place to breed and treat water that can’t be drained,
  • Defend by using an EPA-registered insect repellent, and
  • Dress in long sleeves and pants when outdoors.

For more information, go to the WCCHD website at www.wcchd.org or visit the Texas Department of State Health Services West Nile website at txwestnile.org.