BAY POINT, CA – JULY 21: Contra Costa County Mosquito and Vector Control District technician Josefa Cabada holds a container with mosquito larvae that were found in a retention pond on July 21, 2015 in Bay Point, California. As California endures its fourth straight year of severe drought, public health department officials are seeing a spread in West Nile Virus activity across the state due to lower levels of water flowing through urban drains that provides fertile breeding conditions for mosquitos. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Dallas County Health and Human Services reported Friday the first human case of West Nile virus this year in Dallas County is a resident of the 75231 ZIP Code.
"The confirmation of the first human case of the West Nile virus here in Dallas County this year is yet another reminder of the importance of public health in our community - in particular, the need to take steps to avoid mosquito bites and to reduce mosquito populations," Dr. Philip Huang, the director of DCHHS, said in a press release.
The first human case of West Nile last year came on Aug. 6.
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Mosquito samples in Cedar Hill, Dallas, Highland Park, Mesquite and University Park have tested positive for West Nile this year, leading to sporadic spraying.
No other information about the first human case was released for medical confidentiality and personal privacy reasons, the DCHHS said.
"The best way to avoid exposure to mosquito-borne diseases is to avoid mosquito bites by practicing the Four Ds," Huang said.
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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
