The City of Arlington has been informed by Tarrant County Public Health of Arlington's first citizen death associated with West Nile Virus (WNV). The individual had underlying medical conditions. The City has been closely monitoring mosquito traps located strategically throughout Arlington since March. City staff, along with vector control contractors, have been surveying for pools of standing water and larviciding where mosquitoes can breed.

Employees and contractors have conducted routine trapping at 21 locations and larviciding at 135 locations throughout the City since the beginning of the season. To date, the City has addressed more than 101 citizen concerns regarding possible WNV breeding areas at standing water locations and known vacant homes.

Targeted ground spraying occurs in the area where a mosquito trap contains a positive sample. Since March, Arlington has had six positive samples that have resulted in targeted ground spraying actions. Human cases of WNV do not prompt spraying because the incubation period for WNV could be up to two weeks and the infection could have occurred in another location. Arlington had 66 human cases of WNV in 2012 and one human case in 2013, thus far. WNV is a priority for the City, and we have taken proactive measures since the beginning of the season to protect our residents. We also ask residents to take precautions, as WNV season is still not over. Please click here for more information.