West Nile Virus infected Mosquitoes found in Palm Springs

For the second time in Palm Springs this year, a sample of mosquitoes has tested positive for West Nile.

The Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District positive sample contained 16 mosquitoes from a trap located near Mesquite Avenue and Gene Autry Trail.

The District will post disease notification signs in communities located in the area where the mosquitoes were trapped and will increase mosquito surveillance.

Technicians will also carry out larval and adult control in the surrounding area in an effort to reduce the number of mosquitoes and interrupt further virus transmission.

Residents can reduce mosquitoes by draining standing water, installing or repair screens, and applying insect repellent.

Last Friday, the two additional human cases of West Nile virus in Coachella and Thermal, marking four human cases in the Coachella Valley this year.

And in Mecca, Vector Control is starting their door-to-door campaign. Technicians are ridding homes of standing bodies of water and treating homes to prevent mosquito breeding.

Gonzalo Valadez is a Vector Control Technician for the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District.

“I’m collecting a water sample to check if the larvae is inside this water source,” Valadez said.

Jill Oviatt, a spokesperson for Vector Control said the Aedes Egypti mosquito is capable of carrying viruses like Chikungunya, Zika, and Yellow Fever, but has not tested positive for carrying them, here locally.

“That brings us to six cities in the Valley and one unincorporated area. So it can be all over the Valley, we just haven’t detected it. So were trying as much as possible to get people to understand we want to get rid of this mosquito. It’s black and white. It’s aggressive. We don’t want it here. This can change our way of life in the Valley,” Oviatt said.

Read: Two additional human cases of West Nile in the Coachella Valley More: Today’s Top Stories

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