DALLAS — The West Nile virus season has hit the four major North Texas counties differently.
Tarrant County has seen the highest number of mosquitoes test positive for the disease in North Texas while also having the first death of the West Nile virus this season.
Dallas County has sprayed from Saturday to Tuesday due to mosquito pools recently testing positive for the West Nile virus.
Health officials from Frisco in Collin County said they are increasing surveillance efforts and using larvicide in certain areas around the city.
Denton County is currently dealing with its first reported human case of this West Nile virus season.
These four North Texas counties have had 726 of the 855 (84.9%) reported mosquitos test positive for the disease in the state so far, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Tarrant County
During the week of Aug. 9 to Aug. 15, Tarrant County health officials reported 55 of the 186 total mosquito pools tested positive for the West Nile virus. That is 26.6% percent.
This is slightly up from the 25% mark the county was reporting in early August.
Among these 55 recent positive cases, 10 are from Fort Worth, seven are from Grapevine and six are from North Richland Hills.
Tarrant County has reported a total of 357 positive mosquito pools this year, the highest mark for any county in Texas. Fort Worth has the most positive results in Tarrant County with 80.
Last Tuesday, Tarrant County officials discussed the possibility of aerial spraying for mosquitoes after an increase in West Nile virus cases.
In July, a senior adult who lived in Fort Worth became Tarrant County's first death of the West Nile virus this season.
Dallas County
Mosquito pools in Dallas have confirmed positive for the West Nile virus. County health officials said these areas were sprayed this past weekend:
- 1200 block of Elmwood Boulevard 75224
- 2600 block of Grayson Drive 75224
- 2800 block of Ruidosa Avenue 75228
- 3300 block of Highland Woods Drive 75241
- 3400 block of Forest Lane 75229
- 11100 block of Rosser Road 75229
- 11100 block of Sinclair Avenue 75218
- 19300 block of Millwheat Trail 75252
County officials said these areas were finished being sprayed Tuesday morning:
- 1600 block of Bruck Avenue 75216
- 13700 block of Brookgreen Drive 75240
During the week of Aug. 16 to Aug. 22, Dallas County Health and Human Services said 42 mosquito traps tested positive for the West Nile virus. There have been 292 traps test in Dallas County test positive in 2020.
Dallas County announced the year's first human case of West Nile virus on August 6. The patient lives in Highland Park within the 75205 ZIP code.
On Thursday, Aug. 27 health officials confirmed mosquito traps tested positive for the West Nile virus in Cedar Hill, Cockrell Hill, Desoto, Duncanville and Lancaster. The areas are scheduled to be sprayed throughout the rest of the week.
Collin County
The City of Frisco treated for mosquitoes on Friday after receiving confirmation one mosquito pool tested positive for West Nile Virus near Hickory Creek.
City officials said they are increasing surveillance efforts and using larvicide in public areas between Parkwood Boulevard and Tomlin Drive, south of Main Street and north of Stonebrook Parkway.
No human cases of the virus are confirmed in Frisco. There have been nine positive pools in Frisco this season.
The City of Plano also reported tests conducted of six mosquito pools that came back positive for the West Nile virus.
Plano Environmental Quality Division crews sprayed three locations Sunday evening and the other three areas on Monday.
The targeted areas are bordered by the following streets:
Site 9:
- North – Janwood Drive
- East – Alma Drive
- South – W Plano Parkway/ Bramante Drive
- West – Westwood Drive
Site 13:
- North – W Park Boulevard
- East – Ventura Drive
- South – W Plano Parkway
- West – Mira Vista Boulevard
Site 14:
- North – Crystal Creek Drive
- East – Robinson Road
- South – Quincy Lane
- West – Hedgecoxe / Preston Road
Site 6:
- North – McDermott Road
- East – Clear Sky Drive/ Sutherland Lane
- South – Spring Hill Lane
- West – Russell Creek Park
Site 15:
- North – Portobello Drive
- East – Vista Trail
- South – Wild Ridge Court
- West – Shadow Rock Drive
Site 16:
- North – Palomino Drive
- East – Communications Parkway
- South – Glen Hollow Drive
- West – Gentle Way Drive
Plano health officials are asking residents to ensure children and pets are indoors during spraying.
At this time, the Centers for Disease Control has no data to suggest that this new coronavirus or other similar coronaviruses are spread by mosquitoes or ticks, according to Plano health officials.
Denton County
On Monday, Denton County Public Health reported the county's first human case of the West Nile virus this year.
The community member lives in the city of Denton and was diagnosed with the West Nile neuroinvasive disease.
The Texas Department of State Health Services reported Tuesday that 34 total mosquito pools have tested positive for the West Nile virus in the county. That is the fourth most in the state behind Tarrant County, Dallas County and Montgomery County.
