More mosquitoes in the Nashville area have tested positive for the West Nile virus.
Metro Public Health Department said Monday that the mosquitoes were collected from the Waverly/Belmont neighborhood near the intersection of 8th Avenue and Wedgewood Avenue.
There have been no human cases reported in Davidson County. Health officials said there are no plans to spray to kill adult mosquitoes.
However, staff would visit the neighborhood on Wednesday to pass out mosquito protection and prevention educational materials and monitor standing water looking for mosquito larvae.
The Health Department released the following steps to help protect against biting mosquitoes:
- Limit time outdoors at dusk and nighttime hours when mosquitoes are present. If you must be outdoors then wear a mosquito repellent that is approved for use by the CDC – those include products that contain DEET, Picaridin, and Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.
- Wear shoes, socks, long sleeve shirts and pants when outdoors during dusk to dawn when mosquitoes are most prevalent. Clothing should be light colored and made of tightly woven materials to keep mosquitoes away from the skin. Pant legs should be tucked into shoes or socks, and collars should be buttoned.
- Make sure your windows and doors have screens and are in good repair.
- Health Department officials recommend taking steps to reduce mosquito breeding areas. This includes:
• Reduce or eliminate all standing water in your yard – especially in children’s toys, bird baths, clogged gutters, tires, flowerpots, trash cans, and wheelbarrows.
• Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with Gambusia fish.
• Apply mosquito dunks in standing water areas on your property.
• Cut back overgrown vegetation (mosquito hiding areas).
For more information, visit the Health Department online by clicking here.
