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A mosquito sample recently taken in Houston tested positive for the West Nile virus, according to Harris County Public Health.
The sample was conducted by Harris County Public Health’s Mosquito and Vector Control Division and collected inside the inner Loop 610 zip code 77019, which covers a section of River Oaks and Houston’s Fourth Ward.
The division is activating evening spray operations where the positive sample was found.
West Nile virus is spread to people when mosquitos feed on infected birds and then bite people. In some rare cases, the virus has been transmitted from person-to-person by blood transfusion and organ transplantation.
Most people infected by the virus do not develop any symptoms, while others develop fever and body aches, and about one in 150 people develop a severe illness affecting their central nervous system, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
There are no vaccines to prevent West Nile virus, but people can reduce their risk by protecting themselves from mosquito bites, according to the CDC:
- use insect repellent
- wear protective clothing like long-sleeved shirts and pants
- check for water-holding containers both indoors and outdoors
Mosquitos are around throughout the year, and more prevalent during warmer months. They’re most active from June through October. Out of the 56 species of mosquitoes found around Harris County, only a few transmit diseases like West Nile virus, Chikungunya, Dengue and Zika, according to Harris County Public Health.
County officials in April warned of a potential influx of mosquito-borne diseases as temperatures increased. There were 326 cases of mosquito-borne diseases in 2021, and less than 100 cases combined in 2022 and 2023.