Dallas to Spray After Mosquito Sample Tests Positive for West Nile

The City of Dallas will spray for mosquitos in two areas after a sample tested positive for West Nile virus, the Dallas County Health and Human Services said.

The spraying will occur between 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. both Friday and Saturday nights, weather permitting.

The two areas to be sprayed are generally bounded by:

• 100 block of Classen Drive 75218: Shadydale Lane on the north, North Bucker Boulevard on the west, Country Club Drive on the east, and Waterview Road on the south.
• 7000 block of Walling Lane 75231: Skillman Street on the north, Abrams Road on the west, Goforth Road on the east, and Northwest Highway on the south.

DCHHS reported the county's first death this year in a resident who contracted West Nile virus on Aug. 9 and the fourth human case on Aug. 11.

In 2020, Dallas County reported five deaths from West Nile, including a significant increase in a significant increase in WNV disease prevalence with 20 human cases and 498 positive mosquito tests.

For more information about spraying and to find whether your neighborhood has been sprayed, you can visit the DCHHS website here.

How to Protect Yourself From Mosquito Bites

• Dress in long sleeves, pants when outside: For extra protection, spray thin clothing with repellent.
• DEET: Make sure this ingredient is in your insect repellent.
• Drain standing water in your yard and neighborhood: Mosquitoes can develop in any water stagnant for more than three days.

It has been recommended in the past that to avoid mosquito bites you should avoid being outdoors during Dusk and Dawn (the 4 Ds). While this is true for mosquitoes that commonly carry the West Nile virus, other types of mosquitoes that are more likely to carry Zika, dengue and chikungunya are active during the day. When outdoors, no matter what time of day, adjust your dress accordingly and wear insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus as your first line of defense against insect bites