MERIDIAN, Idaho — The presence of West Nile virus (WNV) in mosquito populations has been confirmed for the first time in the 2023 mosquito season.
The Ada County Mosquito Abatement District said in a news release on Thursday that positive test samples were collected from mosquitos near the intersection of Gillette Drive and Hearst Drive in Meridian.
Due to the discovery, the department dispatched trucks to disperse mosquito abatement treatments in the areas surrounding the detection sites to prevent the spread of WNV to humans.
The release stated that the abatement district will continue to monitor and treat areas within the district boundaries to control the overall mosquito population and prevent WNV transmission to humans and livestock.
The first positive WNV test pool of the 2022 season was documented on August 4, with the final positive test of the season discovered on September 16.
The abatement district said it identified 11 positive test pools located at 9 different trap locations in Ada County last year - that amounts to a 90.7 percent decrease from the 2021 mosquito season that produced historically high WNV levels.
To help prevent the spread of WNV, the abatement district advises the following:
- Drain or dump standing water weekly. For example, dump standing water from flowerpots, planter bases, bird baths, toys, cans, rain gutters, pet dishes, buckets, and old tires.
- Ensure that screen doors and windows are tight-fitting and good condition.
- Avoid overwatering your lawn and landscape.
- Limit outdoor activities during dusk and dawn to prevent mosquito bites. Those are the times when the mosquitoes that transmit WNV are most active.
- Dress in long-sleeve shirts and long pants, preferably in light colors when recreating outdoors during dawn and dusk.
- Apply insect repellent following label instructions.
To track WNV detection in Ada County in 2023,
To see where WNV has been found in Ada County in 2023, click on the Mosquito Tracker on the Ada County Mosquito Abatement District website.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist: