West Nile Virus In Nashville: Mosquitoes In Waverly-Belmont Test Positive

NASHVILLE, TN — A fifth batch of mosquitoes in Nashville have tested positive for West Nile virus, according to the Metro Department of Health.

A batch of mosquitoes collected by the department’s Pest Management Division in the Waverly-Belmont neighborhood near the intersection of Eighth Avenue and Wedgewood came back positive for the disease, the department announced Monday. (For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Middle Tennessee Patch morning newsletter.)

That makes five batches positive for the disease in Davidson County. Batches in Madison and Antioch were positive in June and two more batches in Green Hills and Antioch came back positive in July.

Pest Management staff will visit the neighborhood August 2 to pass out mosquito protection and prevention educational materials and monitor standing water looking for mosquito larvae. Staff will apply a granular larvicide to any areas where mosquito larvae are present.

The department began trapping mosquitoes in all parts of Davidson County the first week in May. Health Department staff sends the mosquitoes to the Tennessee Department of Health’s lab for testing. There have been no human cases reported in Davidson County and health officials say there are no plans to spray to kill adult mosquitoes.

The Health Department recommends taking the following steps to protect against biting mosquitoes, including:

• Limit time outdoors at dusk and nighttime hours when mosquitoes are present.
• If you must be outdoors then wear a mosquito repellent that is approved for use by the CDC – those include products that contain DEET, Picaridin, and Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.
• Wear shoes, socks, long sleeve shirts and pants when outdoors during dusk to dawn when mosquitoes are most prevalent. Clothing should be light colored and made of tightly woven materials to keep mosquitoes away from the skin. Pant legs should be tucked into shoes or socks, and collars should be buttoned.
• Make sure your windows and doors have screens and are in good repair.

Health Department officials recommend taking steps to reduce mosquito breeding areas. This includes:

• Reduce or eliminate all standing water in your yard – especially in children’s toys, bird baths, clogged gutters, tires, flowerpots, trashcans, and wheelbarrows.
• Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with Gambusia fish.
• Apply mosquito dunks in standing water areas on your property.
• Cut back overgrown vegetation (mosquito hiding areas).

Health Department staff began monitoring standing water in all areas of Nashville in late February. Staff applies larvicide when mosquito larvae are present to kill the larvae before they become adult mosquitoes.

Please visit the Health Department’s website and Facebook and Twitter pages for updates on West Nile Virus and Zika. Davidson County residents that are having mosquito problems can call 615-340-5660 to arrange to have a Pest Management staff member come and inspect your property and provide mosquito control and prevention advice. Pest Management staff will check your property for standing water and apply the larvicide if mosquito larvae are present.

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