Cedar Park Mosquito Sampling Tests Positive For West Nile Virus

CEDAR PARK, TX — A sampling of mosquitoes collected from a trap in Cedar Park has tested positive for West Nile virus, officials said Tuesday.

The testing was part of the city's proactive participation in the Williamson County and Cities Health District's mosquito management program, a city spokeswoman said. The positive test emerged from testing at the Texas Department of State Health Services lab in Austin, the spokeswoman added.

Despite the find, there are no reported human cases of West Nile virus in Cedar Park, officials stressed. Moreover, no new human cases have been reported since last fall. For more information on the virus, click here or here.

The Health District has six traps at various locations throughout Cedar Park. The species that tested positive is Culex quinquefasciatus (southern house mosquito). It was collected in southwest Cedar Park, near the intersection of Cypress Creek Road and Sun Chase Boulevard, officials said. This species has a flight range of about one mile.

The city is following the Health District’s Best Practices for Integrated Mosquito Management which, at this time, call for enhanced monitoring and testing, along with increased public outreach and education, according to officials. "The City of Cedar Park is prepared to take additional action if necessary," officials said.

"In light of the positive test sample’s proximity to outdoor activity at Elizabeth Milburn Park and in several nearby neighborhoods, the city and health district are encouraging everyone to be especially vigilant about protecting themselves from mosquito bites when outdoors – and preventing mosquito breeding on their personal property." officials added.

Health officials offered a number of precautions residents can take to mitigate exposure to West Nile virus:

What you can do

Mosquitoes breed in standing or stagnant water. Eliminating places where mosquitoes can breed and reducing the chances of mosquito bites are the most effective lines of defense against exposure to West Nile Virus. As part of its Fight the Bite campaign the Health District recommends the 3 Ds of mosquito safety.

• Drain standing water in flower pots, pet dishes or clogged gutters so mosquitoes don’t have a place to breed and treat water that can’t be drained;
• Defend by using an EPA-approved insect repellent, and;
• Dress in long sleeves and pants when outdoors.

The City’s Parks and Recreation Department uses bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) larvicide tablets on public property (such as parks) to treat any standing water that cannot be drained, officials said. Bt is a naturally-occurring bacteria that is harmless to people and most pets but it interrupts the reproduction cycle of mosquitoes, health officials noted. You can find Bt for home use at most “big box” hardware retailers.

In addition, the City’s Code Enforcement Division is focusing its efforts on mosquito abatement throughout the community. If you are aware of a location of stagnant water on public or private property, please report it to the City’s Code Enforcement Division via www.cedarparktexas.gov/ReportaProblem, the CPConnect app on your mobile device or e-mail at code@cedarparktexas.gov.

For more information on mosquito safety, please visit the Williamson County and Cities Health District’s website by clicking here.

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