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New Bedford mosquito sample tests positive for West Nile virus again. What to know.
West Nile virus has been detected in a mosquito sample in New Bedford for the second time in recent weeks.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health notified local health officials about the finding, which was in a primarily bird-biting mosquito near Oak Grove Cemetery on Parker Street, according to a community announcement.
The risk level for West Nile virus in New Bedford, Fairhaven and Acushnet is moderate. Preventative measures include wearing mosquito repellent between dusk and dawn, wearing long sleeves and pants during those hours, using mosquito netting on baby carriages and playpens, and emptying standing water around homes twice weekly.
The Bristol County Mosquito Project conducted targeted ground-spraying Aug. 14 in the Oak Grove Cemetery area. This spraying supplements the county's normal weekly ground-spraying, which occurs seasonally from early June through September and targets parks and other locations that host large public events.
Weekly sprayings take place every Thursday during the summer between 2 a.m. and sunrise in locations around Buttonwood Park, Brooklawn Park, Fort Taber, Hazelwood Park, Riverside Park, Clasky Common Park, Ashley Park, Wing's Court, Custom House Square and other parts of downtown.
Residents near targeted areas may want to close their windows in the evenings before spraying. In the event of inclement weather, spraying will be moved to early Friday morning.
The annual monitoring program involves crews placing traps and collecting specimens to monitor the mosquito population throughout the summer. It also helps track whether any mosquitoes are carrying Eastern equine encephalitis or West Nile virus.
West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause illness ranging from a mild fever to more serious disease. It is most commonly spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito. Positive mosquito samples for West Nile are not uncommon in the summer months and have been found in cities and towns across the state in recent weeks.
The New Bedford Health Department recommends several precautionary measures to help protect against mosquito bites:
Be aware of peak mosquito hours: Mosquitoes are most active from dusk to dawn. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities during these times or take extra precautions with repellent and protective clothing, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors.
Clothing can help reduce mosquito bites: Wearing long sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors can help keep mosquitoes away from your skin, even though it may be challenging in hot weather.
Apply insect repellent when outdoors: Use a repellent with DEET, permethrin, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus according to the product label instructions. DEET products should not be used on infants under 2 months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30% or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under 3 years of age. Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear and should not be applied to skin.
Drain standing water: Mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water. Limit breeding sites around your home by draining or removing items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains, empty unused flowerpots and wading pools, and change water in birdbaths frequently.
Install or repair screens: Some mosquitoes can enter homes. Keep them outside by ensuring tight-fitting screens on all windows and doors.
For more information and the state's risk-level map, visit
This story was created by reporter Beth McDermott, bmcdermott1@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: West Nile virus detected in mosquito sample in New Bedford
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