The city of Fort Worth is spraying for mosquitoes Friday for the first time in three years after a fourth mosquito sample tested positive for West Nile virus in recent weeks.
There have been no human cases of West Nile virus in Fort Worth this year.
Four mosquito pools in the West Creek neighborhood, all from a trap set at Fire Station 29 in the 76133 ZIP code, have tested positive for the West Nile virus.
Tarrant and Dallas counties, along with many North Texas cities, would begin ground spraying within 48 hours after the first positive mosquito pool.
Fort Worth hasn't sprayed since the West Nile outbreak in 2012.
"This is always a split decision that you're going to have those that want us to spray every day all over the city and those that don't want us to ever spray," said Brandon Bennett, director of the Fort Worth Code Compliance Department.
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At a neighborhood meeting Wednesday night, residents learned the city would spray the area within a half-mile of the fire station this weekend.
"Any time you put a chemical up into the air, it's a concern," said Bennett. "We are greater in our effectiveness through public education, draining the source pools and not doing the broad-area spraying."
Spraying will take place on Friday starting at 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. City officials said the concentration of pesticide that will be sprayed is less than what the general public can find in over-the-counter products.
- 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.
