West Nile Virus Detected in Jamaica Plain

Health officials have found a mosquito pool in Jamaica Plain that tests positive for the West Nile Virus, they announced Friday.

Other Boston neighborhoods where mosquito pools harboring the disease-causing virus has been found include: West Roxbury, Hyde Park, Roslindale, East Boston, South Boston, and Dorchester.

Last week, the Massachusetts Department of Health raised the risk level for infection in Boston from low to moderate. Despite the increased positive mosquito pools, there have been no confirmed human cases of the virus in Boston this year.

Risk of transfer to humans is low, but here are some tips from the Boston Public Health Commission to protect yourself and your family:

• Use insect repellant when outdoors, especially from dusk to dawn when mosquitoes are more likely to be biting
• Wear clothing with long sleeves and pants, when possible
• Mosquito-proof your home by ensuring that window and door screens are in good repair to prevent mosquitoes from getting into the house
• Prevent mosquitoes from breeding in standing water by turning over unused flower pots, buckets, wheelbarrows, and garbage cans; removing leaves and other debris that can clog gutters and trap water; disposing of or covering old tires; and covering swimming pools and kiddie pools when not in use.

The commission says the city is putting larvicide in catch basins in Boston neighborhoods to reduce the number of mosquitoes.

For more information on the virus, call the Boston Public Health Commission at 617-534-5611 or visit www.bphc.org.