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Commerce mosquitoes test negative for West Nile

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Commerce Emergency Management released this statement Tuesday regarding West Nile tests, and preventative tips for Commerce and all Northeast Texas residents.

 

COMMERCE - Last week the City of Commerce started their mosquito surveillance programs. There were two mosquito traps deployed in each of the cities four sections (A,B,C and D) along with one trap being deployed the campus of Texas A & M University – Commerce. The collected mosquito specimens were packaged and sent to the Texas Department of State Health Services for testing. The testing conducted showed that no West Nile Virus was detected in the submitted specimens.

 

Each week the city will continue to deploy the mosquito surveillance traps throughout the city and submit the collected specimens to Texas Department of State Health Services for testing.

 

There are four main actions residents can take to help protect themselves according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. 1) Stay indoors at dusk and dawn. This is the time of day that mosquitoes are most active. 2) Dress in long sleeves/pants, loose and light colored clothing when outdoors, 3) Defend yourselves from mosquitoes by using an insect repellent that contains Deet, Picaridin, or oil of Lemon Eucalyptus. Follow label instructions. 4) Drain standing water in your yard and neighborhood. Also make sure that flower pots, water dishes, bird baths, and wading pools are properly drained so they are not breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

 

The City of Commerce Office of Emergency Management and Hunt County Emergency Management created a webpage last year that contains information and links about WNV. Commerce Office of Emergency Management will be updating this page with more information during the mosquito season and will include data collection information for our area, preventive measures the city is currently and any other information we have to help keep the residents informed. This webpage may be accessed at http://www.westnile.info/ . Commerce Office of Emergency Management will also be posting a lot of this same information to its Facebook page which is listed as City of Commerce - Office of Emergency Management (OEM).

If you need to report a dead bird you can contact animal control at 903-886- 1160 or city hall at 903-886-1100. If it is after normal business hours you may contact the police department at 903-886-1139. Mosquito complaints may also be made by calling any of these three offices also. If you have any questions regarding WNV you may contact Emergency Management Coordinator Chris Vaughan though the police department at 903-886-1139.

The City of Commerce Office of Emergency Management will be working closely with Hunt County Emergency Management, Texas A & M University – Commerce, Texas Department of State Health Services, Hunt County Health Department, City of Greenville Health Department and other agencies to stay informed on the WNV status not only here in this area but the surrounding area.

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