More mosquitoes test positive for West Nile Virus

HOUSTON Almost half of the mosquitoes that tested positive for West Nile Virus were in west Harris County, so that's where officials are focusing their operations.

The Traore family spent Wednesday evening taking a walk.

"Just to the park to get some exercise," Setchia Traore said.

From the bayou to the trail and trees at Hershey Park, the mosquitoes are buzzing.

"When the sun sets, that's when they come out most of the time," Samira Traore said.

It's enough to force walkers and runners to bring out the spray. Biker Carlos Porras says the insects keep his kids indoors.

"I bring my girls here and there's times they don't want to come anymore 'cause they're like, 'Oh daddy, daddy' and they don't want to come anymore, especially when it gets dark. When it starts to get dark, (there's) lots of them," he said.

While bug bites are a nuisance, it's what the mosquitoes can carry that's even more concerning.

The Harris County Health Department has seen West Nile Virus activity increase particularly in the western part of the county.

Officals are spraying by air 50,000 acres, from Highway 290 to Bellaire and Highway 6 to Gessner.

"If you wait until humans start to get infected, then you've waited too long," said Malcolm Williams with the Harris County Mosquito Control. "That's why they bring us in to do this, a kind of preventive measure."

The Traores will still spray everyone down.

"Usually, they are bad. You can't stay outside too long," Setchia Traore said.

For Porras, the overnight operation will reduce the risk of West Nile, but also make riding his bike a little more enjoyable.

"This year, there have been more mosquitoes than I'd seen before," he said.

The overnight aerial spraying is expected to be completed by 4am Thursday.