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PRESS RELEASES - SEPTEMBER 2006
Lab Tests Confirm 14 Cases of West Nile Virus in City
Residents Urged to Safeguard Public Health
September 8, 2006
This week, the Tarrant County Health Department confirmed 14
human cases of the West Nile Virus in Arlington. To date, there are
no reports in the city of serious illness or death associated with
the virus. Residents are being reminded of the importance of their
role in reducing mosquito populations.
The City of Arlington has developed a response plan based on
guidelines established by the Texas Department of State Health
Services and the Center for Disease Control. The plan emphasizes
source reduction and personal protection, according to Lee
Hitchcock, the city’s director of the Community Services Department.
“We are reminding residents to remove all stagnant or standing
water in places where mosquitoes can breed,” he said.
With public education materials in print and electronic forms,
the City of Arlington is spreading the word, encouraging residents
to stay indoors during the hours immediately preceding and
immediately after dawn and dusk. Residents are being reminded to
dress in light-colored, long-sleeve clothing when outside, and use
an insect repellent containing DEET.
Community Services health officials are surveying creeks and
drainage areas and notifying schools, childcare centers, outdoor
activity centers and nursing home facilities about the virus.
“We are calling upon all citizens of Arlington to take personal
responsibility for protecting themselves from this virus,” said
Mayor Robert Cluck. “The best tools we have are education and self
protection.”
At this time, the public health risk has not been elevated to a
level where the benefits of spraying out weigh the possible harmful
effects, Hitchcock said. The City of Arlington does not spray for
mosquitoes because the chemicals used can be harmful to fish, pets
and can damage paint. The City is treating bodies of water such as
pools, ponds and streams with a larvacide, which decreases the
mosquito populations by killing larva before they reach the biting
stage.
More information about West Nile Virus is available on the City’s
Web site in English and Spanish at
www.ci.arlington.tx.us/health. Additional information regarding
individual protection and how to eliminate mosquito breeding is
available by calling 817-459-6777.
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