Woodbridge Mosquitoes Test Positive for West Nile Virus

Mosquitoes in the Woodbridge area have tested positive for West Nile virus, June 2012 test results show.  

Prince William County said the Prince William Mosquito Control Program collected and tested mosquitoes, as they regularly do, to determine the risk of West Nile virus in the county.

“The County’s Mosquito Control Program has performed intensive treatment in the vicinity of the positive mosquito pools to kill adult and larval mosquitoes, and will continue larval control throughout the County and possibly conduct an adulticide spray based on future positive trap numbers,”  according to a press release from the county.

Test-positive mosquitoes indicate there’s an increased risk of contracting the virus. The mosquito program routinely traps and tests mosquitoes from sites throughout the county.

“Since most of the mosquito species that residents need to control breed in standing water within a few hundred feet of their residence, control measures around the home are the most effective way to prevent mosquito breeding and to reduce the risk from bites,” said Prince William Health District Director Dr. Alison Ansher.

The county announced the test results Monday morning.

The Prince William Health District recommends the following to reduce exposure to mosquitoes:

• Wear long, loose and light-colored clothing.

• Use insect repellent products with no more than 50 percent DEET for adults and less than 10 percent for children.  Follow label instructions when using insect repellents.

• Turn over or remove containers in your yard where any water may collect, such as old tires, potted plant trays, buckets, and toys. 

• Eliminate any standing water in yards or on tarps or flat roofs.

• Chlorinate or clean out birdbaths and wading pools every three to five days. 

• Clean roof gutters and downspout screens regularly.

For more information on West Nile Virus, visit the Virginia Department of Health website at www.vdh.virginia.gov. For questions about mosquito control spraying, contact Prince William Gypsy Moth & Mosquito Control at 703-792-6279.

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