Township Environmental Services Manager Lynn Aldrich suggests applying repellant and limiting outdoor activity from dusk to dawn.[/caption]

The Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed July 1 that a sample of mosquitoes in a Woodlands Township surveillance site has tested positive for West Nile Virus.

The heavy rains and flooding are the primary reason for the surge in mosquitoes, according to a release from The Woodlands Township. However, according to the township, mosquitoes present during the day do not carry West Nile Virus.

“These daytime biters do not carry disease,” said Lynn Aldrich, township environmental services manager. “Our current concern is for the nighttime biters, Culex quinquefaciatus, that breed in stagnant water and can carry West Nile Virus.”

Symptoms of West Nile Virus include fever, headache, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea and a rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seventy to 80 percent of those who are infected do not go on to develop symptoms, yet one out of five infected could show symptoms of West Nile Virus infection.

The township advises its residents dump containers that hold water, such as birdbaths and plant saucers, to reduce standing water sources. Aldrich recommends applying repellant and limiting outdoor activity from dusk to dawn. In addition, she suggests foregoing lawn watering after a heavy rain to control standing water.

“Landscapes require no more than an inch of water a week, including rainfall,” she said. “It is better for your lawn and controls run-off that contributes to standing water.”

Neighborhoods can schedule a presentation about mosquito control by calling The Woodlands Township Environmental Services office at 281-210-3800.