West Nile Virus Prevention



The City of Gainesville is dedicated to offering a high quality of life to its citizens. We are offering this webpage and a series of others to educate and keep you informed of the West Nile Virus disease in our area. 
 
The most effective way to avoid West Nile virus disease is to prevent mosquito bites. The City of Gainesville is taking precautionary measures and asks that you take action to defend yourself and your family against the disease.
 
 Always be aware of the West Nile virus activity in your area. 
 


Mosquito Control/Management
     
  •  Mosquito Traps Set
    • Collection of Mosquitoes on a Weekly Basis during mosquito season to Determine Risk Level  
    • Low Risk Level - Normal, year-round risk level
    • Medium Risk Level - Mosquito with West Nile Virus discovered in Cooke County
    • High Risk Level - Human with West Nile Virus discovered in Cooke County or three consecutive weeks of positive West Nile Virus tests for mosquitoes in Cooke County.
  • Larvicide    
    • Treat public areas with Bti at medium risk level. It is an effective method for treating mosquito-prone areas, without causing any harmful effects to people. 
  • Spraying
    • The City may spray during low risk if there are several areas with large amounts of standing water for an extended period of time.
  • Risk level is low - normal, year-round risk level.


Mosquito Control Around the Home


The most important thing citizens can do to reduce the risk of exposure to West Nile virus is to eliminate mosquito-breeding areas around the home and limit exposure to feeding mosquitoes. Many female mosquitoes can lay 100-300 eggs on the surface of fresh or stagnant water every third night during its life span. Here are some simple things citizens can do to eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites around the home:

1.    Do not allow water to accumulate in the saucers of flowerpots, cemetery urns, or in pet dishes for more than two days.

2.    Get rid of tin cans, old tires, buckets, unused plastic swimming pools, or other containers that collect and hold water.

3.    Clean debris from rain gutters, remove standing water from flat roofs, and repair leaks around faucets and air conditioners.

4.    Change the water in birdbaths and wading pools at least once a week.

5.    Fill or drain puddles, ditches and swampy areas.

6.    Check for tapped water in plastic or canvas tarps used to cover boats or pools, and arrange the tarp to drain the water.


4 D's of West Nile Virus Prevention

1.    Dusk to Dawn - Dusk and dawn are the times of day you should try to stay indoors. This is when mosquitoes are most active.
 
 2.   Dress - Dress in long sleeves and pants when you’re outside. For extra protection, you may want to spray thin clothing with repellent.
 
 3.   Drain - Regularly drain standing water, including water that collects in empty cans, tires, buckets, clogged rain gutters and saucers under potted plants. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water.  If an area cannot be drained, mosquito dunks with Bti can be used to kill mosquito larvae.  
 4.   DEET - DEET (N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide) is an ingredient to look for in your insect repellent.  Follow label instructions, and always wear repellent when outdoors.


Additional Resources



For more information on West Nile Virus, click on the links below:


Texas Department of State Health Services
Center for Disease Control and Prevention     

You can view a map showing West Nile Virus test results by county by clicking here.