Mosquito in Memorial Park area tests positive for West Nile Virus
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The first case of West Nile Virus for 2019 has been reported in Harris County.
Harris County Public Health says a mosquito found in the 77007 zip code has tested positive for the virus.
That zip code is in west Houston, along the Katy Freeway. It also includes part of near Memorial Park and the Rice Military neighborhood.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says though most people do not develop any symptoms if they get West Nile, one in five do get a fever, aches and rash.
To prevent bites, the CDC recommends using mosquito spray with 20 percent DEET on body parts with thin skin like wrists and ankles, use fans or blow mosquitoes away to make it hard for them to fly, and avoid peak mosquito hours, which include sunrise and sunset times.
You'll also want to avoid doing certain things such as buying wearable devices that have DEET since they don't cover the entire body and relying on high-tech traps, since they're only effective in a small area.
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