Officials confirmed two local batches of mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile virus.
According to reports, the mosquitoes were collected by the Metro Public Health Department’s Pest Management Division.
They were trapped in the Green Hills area near the intersection of South Wilson Boulevard and Estes Road and in Antioch near the Priest Lake area and Smith Springs Road.
Staff said they’ve planned to visit those areas on Tuesday “to pass out mosquito protection and prevention educational materials and monitor standing water looking for mosquito larvae.”
If mosquito larvae are present, staff members said they’d apply a granular larvicide.
They began trapping mosquitos in all sections of Davidson County during the first week of May, and staff members sent them to the Tennessee Department of Health’s lab for testing.
No human cases of West Nile virus have been reported in Davidson County. At the moment, there have been no plans to spray to kill adult mosquitoes.
The following list of steps to protect against biting mosquitoes was released by the Health Department:
-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, trashcans, 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).
Standing water monitoring got underway in Nashville in late February.
For more information, visit the Health Department online by clicking here.
