Two more positive tests for West Nile Virus have been found in Murphy, city officials stated in a news release.

No human infections have yet been reported in the Murphy and surrounding areas.

City officials, in cooperation with the Texas Department of State Health Services, said the presence of the disease were found in some mosquito specimens that were captured on Aug. 31: one near Lonesome Dove Trail and the other near Raintree Drive.

Two previous positive detections had already been discovered among the dozens of mosquito samples taken throughout the city’s various trapping locations, established at the start of active mosquito season, officials said.

One of the two latest positive results was collected from a snare located along the creek bed west of Lonesome Dove Trail, and the other from a snare along a similar creek bed east of Raintree Drive. 

“The fact that we’re encountering positive detections near creek beds adds to the importance of residents knowing that the creeks are high activity areas, and anyone in the area should take the appropriate steps to protect themselves,” Director of Public Services Tim Rogers said in the release. “Just as importantly, though, residents need to understand that any standing water, like that found in creeks, can become a prime breeding area for these carriers.”

The area west of Lonesome Dove was recently sprayed with a larvicide following a prior positive sample from that collection site, but rain and unfavorable windy conditions delayed the procedure slightly, allowing the maturing of larva that resulted in the positive result, officials said. The spraying at that site is expected to be effective going forward, though.  

Meanwhile, city officials said city staff has contacted health officials from the state and Collin County and will soon contract a pest control service to spray the area east of Raintree Drive as soon as possible, weather permitting.

For more information on the West Nile Virus, access https://www.dshs.texas.gov/idcu/disease/arboviral/westnile/.

Eliminating opportunities for mosquitos to breed and bite are the best ways to provide protection for family members, officials said, and implementing the Five Ds of Prevention can be very effective. These include:

• Drain all standing water, or apply insecticide dunks where water cannot be drained;

• Dress appropriately when outdoors, long sleeves and pants during high activity periods;

• Dawn and dusk are when mosquitoes are most active;

• DEET-based insecticides work best;

• Door and window screens should be checked for repairs and fixed.

Additional tips can be found here: http://www.murphytx.org/635/Mosquito-Abatement. Trapping and testing of mosquitoes will continue throughout the remainder of the high activity season and into the fall. Residents who may suspect becoming infected should immediately report to their doctor or medical facility.

From Staff Reports [email protected]