Tarrant County

West Nile Problem Grows in NE Tarrant County

Cities stepping up efforts to battle mosquitos

Amid a spike in mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus, cities in northeastern Tarrant County are stepping up efforts to battle the insects.

In Colleyville, for the first time in at least 10 years, city leaders are hiring a contractor to spray after one trap captured five infected mosquitos.

"This is a really bad year," said city worker Randy Bright. "I've never seen nothing like this this quick."

Bright calls himself "the mosquito guy." It’s his job to trap and kill the insects, and he said he has never seen so many with West Nile.

"This is unheard of for me," he said.

Colleyville won't use trucks to spray in neighborhoods like many cities.

Instead, workers on foot and on all-terrain vehicles will spray along creeks and in wooded areas, said city spokeswoman Mona Gandy.

West Nile is a problem all over northeast Tarrant County.

Seven mosquitos have tested positive this year in Colleyville. In nearby Bedford, the number is 11. Euless has had five.

A city spokesman in Bedford said the city was doubling its efforts to prevent mosquitoes from breeding by treating area creeks and streams.

NBC 5's Stefan Gorman contributed to this report.

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