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More West Nile Virus Mosquito Pools Found in West Roxbury

Make sure you're not creating mosquito breeding grounds.

 

Two more mosquito pools have tested positive for West Nile Virus in West Roxbury, said the Boston Public Health Commission today.

Infected mosquitoes had previously already been found in West Roxbury. The Boston Public Health Commission does not release information about where the infected mosquitoes were found.

Along with the West Roxbury mosquito pools, there were nine more infected pools found throughout Boston. East Boston, the Fenway, Roslindale, South and North Dorchester, as well as Hyde Park, have all had infected mosquito pools.

There has only been one human case so far in Boston this summer, that of a 46-year-old Boston woman, who has already recovered after her case was confirmed on Aug. 27.

The city has been spraying to control mosquitoes in parts of some neighborhoods. And since June, larvicide has been placed into city catch basins to reduce the number of mosquitoes.

WNV is most commonly transmitted to humans by the bite of a mosquito infected with the virus, said Dr. Anita Barry, director of the Infectious Disease Bureau at the Public Health Commission. 

Barry stressed that people should take precaution to avoid getting bitten by: using insect repellant when outdoors, especially during dusk and dawn; mosquito-proof your home by making sure doors and windows are secure;

It's also important to not allow mosquito breeding grounds to occur, so you should turn over unused flower pots, buckets, barrels, remove leaves and debris or anything that allows for standing water.

For more information on WNV, call the Boston Public Health Commission at 617-534-5611 or visit www.bphc.org.

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