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Irving Weekly Title

Local News

West Nile Virus Death Reported In Irving

Dallas County Health and Human Services notified the City of Irving on Sept. 23 that an 83-year-old Irving resident died due to complications from West Nile Virus (WNV). The man, who resided in a neighborhood located in IRV-32 Spray Zone, had underlying health conditions and began experiencing symptoms on Aug. 29. He was subsequently hospitalized on Aug.31 and passed Sept. 3. Irving Code Enforcement will conduct ground spraying on Sept. 23 in a targeted area within Spray Zone-32 for the purpose of continued mitigation of the infected mosquito population.

“The City of Irving extends its condolences and prayers to the family, friends and neighbors of the Irving resident who recently passed from West Nile Virus,” said Irving Mayor Rick Stopfer. “I ask that everyone take precautions against being bit by mosquitoes, and use the Four D’s to protect yourself and your family.”

The city’s Mosquito Control Program monitors mosquitoes year-round and conducts surveillance and testing of mosquitoes using 57 trap locations across the city. The team sends 19 traps to Dallas County each week for testing, and if a WNV positive mosquito is trapped, then the team conducts ground spraying in the coinciding spray zone area. The 2021 infected mosquito treatment zones and schedule is available online. When a WNV positive mosquito is confirmed, the city posts a ground spraying schedule to the impacted neighborhoods on NextDoor and the website.

TIMELINE OF MOSQUITO ACTIVITY IN AFFECTED RESIDENT’S SPRAY ZONE

  • Aug. 3 – Trapped and tested a positive WNV mosquito; sprayed the impacted zone the same evening
  • Aug. 23  – Trapped mosquitoes and none tested positive for WNV  
  • Sept. 14  – Trapped mosquitoes and none tested positive for WNV  

MOSQUITO PREVENTION AND PROTECTION

The City of Irving advises residents to protect themselves from mosquito-transmitted diseases by following the Four D’s:

  • Dusk/Dawn – the times of day to stay indoors.
  • Dress – wear long sleeves and long pants when outdoors during these times.
  • DEET – an ingredient to look for when purchasing and using insect repellent.
  • Drain – minimize outside standing water so it does not become a mosquito breeding site.

Residents also are encouraged to call the city’s Mosquito Hotline — (972) 721-3755 — with tips on any stagnant water or mosquito activity in their neighborhoods or around the city.

LIMITING MOSQUITO POPULATIONS

Mosquitos must have standing water in which to begin their life cycle. Almost any vessel or area of standing water presents a potential “nursery” in which mosquitoes can develop. Residents are encouraged to follow these tips to eliminate mosquito-breeding areas from their homes and yards:

  • Keep screens, windows and doors in good repair.
  • Fix leaky outdoor faucets and sprinklers.
  • Avoid overwatering lawns.
  • Rinse and refill birdbaths, pet watering dishes, flowerpots and saucers or other vessels weekly to prevent stagnant water. If the container cannot be easily drained, use mosquito dunks to prevent breeding.

The City of Irving offers free mosquito dunks at Irving recreation centersHeritage Senior Center and Irving City Hall.

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