CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — City of Kingsville officials are alerting the public of a mosquito recently testing positive for West Nile Virus.
According to a release from the the City of Kingsville, the city's health department traps mosquitos monthly to send samples to the Texas Department of State Health Services lab in Austin for arbovirus testing.
The release states Kingsville health director Emilio Garcia is reporting that a mosquito that was trapped at 1800 N. Armstrong St. on Sept. 13, tested positive for West Nile.
"There are currently no identified human West Nile infections in our region," the release states. "Many people impacted by West Nile Virus will be asymptomatic or develop mild flu-like illness, however, in rare cases, West Nile Virus infection can cause central nervous system damage and even death.
The City of Kingsville will begin spraying the impacted location and within a one-mile radius on Tuesday night.
Spraying will continue through Thursday evening.
The city is working with Region 11 "to assure the City Health Department response reduces the threat of West Nile Virus transmission."
"For the first time ever, we detected West Nile Virus infected mosquitoes last summer in Kleberg County," Garcia said in the release. "Through a series of mosquito spraying operations and constant testing, we were able to reduce the risk of transmission to citizens."
Once the three-day spraying operation is complete, crews will trap mosquitos in the impacted areas again to retest mosquito pools at those specific sites, the release states.
The city is urging the community to follow previously recommended mosquito bite prevention practices, by avoiding outdoor activity at dawn and dusk when mosquitos are most active.
For outdoor activity during these time frames, the health department recommends residents wear long pants and long sleeves and use a mosquito repellant that contains DEET.
Residents can also help prevent mosquitos breeding around a home and business by clearing any standing water on their property; buckets, tires and bird feeders facilitate mosquito breeding.
Keeping the lawn maintained can also curb mosquito breeding, the release states.
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