The City of Arlington to perform “targeted ground spraying” this week at certain areas in the city after West Nile Virus sample found

Arlington, Texas – The City of Arlington has confirmed the discovery of a positive West Nile Virus mosquito sample, leading to an immediate response from city officials. Consequently, “targeted ground spraying” is scheduled for this week in certain city sectors proximate to the location of the identified sample.

The spray operations are planned for Forest Edge Drive and Park Row Drive, situated to the west of Woodland West Park and southeast from Shady Valley Country Club. This operation, involving two consecutive nights of targeted ground spraying, is to be carried out between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.

The urgency of this procedure is due to its aim to decrease the population of virus-carrying adult mosquitos as swiftly as possible, as per city officials. Arlington’s contractors will be deploying a water-based permethrin product through ultra-low volume application in areas where other methods, including deploying larvicide, have failed to yield satisfactory results.

Key decision-makers in this process include the Arlington Health Authority, Tarrant County Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It’s worth noting that Arlington has been proactive in its mosquito control efforts since the onset of the mosquito season, carrying out routine trapping and strategically placing larvicide across the city. Crews have additionally been monitoring low-lying areas prone to collecting standing water, the potential breeding grounds for mosquitos.

Arlington has also partnered with Tarrant County Public Health to educate the public on simple measures they should take while enjoying the outdoors to prevent mosquito bites:

• Dress in long sleeves and pants when outside. For extra protection, you may want to spray thin clothing with repellent.
• DEET is an ingredient to look for in your insect repellent. Follow label instructions and always wear repellent when outdoors.
• Drain standing water in your yard and neighborhood where mosquitoes can breed.

Mosquitoes have the potential to thrive in any water that remains stationary for a period exceeding three to four days. If there’s shallow standing water that can’t be removed, it is recommended to routinely monitor for mosquito larvae. Should these larvae be detected, a biological larvicide, often termed as “mosquito dunks,” should be used. This product is readily available at neighborhood hardware outlets.