Mosquito Sample Tests Positive For West Nile Virus in Upper Dublin

Two mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile Virus in Montgomery County, the state announced Tuesday.

The positives were located on Upper Dublin and Upper Merion townships, the state said.

The Department of Environmental Protection and West Nile Virus staff are responding with additional mosquito surveillance and control as needed.

No sprayings have been scheduled at this time.

It's the second and third positive tests of the season in Pennsylvania. The first test was recorded on June 6in Altoona in Blair County, which is located roughly between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh in the west-central part of the state.

Local health officials released the following tips in 2015 to help avoid mosquito bites and to prevent mosquito populations from increasing artificially:

• Stay indoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitos are most active
• Wear long sleeve shirts and long pants when outside
• Use insect repellents when mosquitoes are active
• Dispose of open containers that may collect water, such as tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots, etc.
• Drill holes in the bottom of outdoor recycling containers so that water will not collect
• Keep your property clear of old tires
• Clean roof gutters, particularly if leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to plug drains
• Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use
• Turn over wheelbarrows and don’t let water stagnate in birdbaths
• Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools when not in use
• A swimming pool left untended by a family on vacation for a month can produce enough mosquitoes to result in neighborhood-wide complaints. Mosquitoes may even breed in the water that collects on pool covers
• For stagnant pools of water that cannot be removed or drained, homeowners can buy Bti products such as mosquito dunks at lawn/garden, outdoor supply, home improvement and other stores. This naturally occurring bacterial product kills mosquito larvae but is safe for people, pets, aquatic life and plants.