Human cases prompt city to do another round of treatment

Despite tests showing no increase in adult mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus, the city is taking a proactive approach to lessen the amount of human cases in the city.

Ongoing trapping and testing is taking place on a weekly basis throughout the city and all test results for the last two weeks have come back negative for the virus. However, because of positive human cases reported over the summer months and elevated trap counts in public areas, the city decided last week to apply adult mosquito treatments.

A truck mounted with adult mosquito treatment was conducted in these areas for two consecutive nights Sept. 12 and concluding Sept. 13. The Colony Mayor Joe McCourry said he stands behind the city's program.

"We have been proactive all year and we will continue to fight this virus and these little pests as long as the season stays active," he said. "We are absolutely concerned about anyone who gets sick from something - whether they contract it in our community or contract it at another site. The fact that they live in our city, we are concerned about all of our citizens."

McCourry said the city will do whatever it takes to continue treatments throughout the season as temperatures stay warm and mosquitoes stay active.

Funding for the treatment of the virus has been an issue for all cities in the area, and McCourry said The Colony is no different.

"It is tax dollars and it is coming from our reserve funds," he said. "I hope the state will step up and provide those counties here that have been the hardest hit - Tarrant, Dallas, Denton and Collin - I hope that [the state government] will step up and provide some relief for our budgets out of the master emergency fund that the state has."

The city was recently notified by the Denton County Health Department that an additional human case of West Nile virus has been confirmed within city limits. The resident lives in the 5300 block of Young Drive, but it is unconfirmed if the transmission of the disease occurred at this location.

"There is only so much that we as the government can do in order to combat something like this and I feel that our program is doing everything possible to minimize the risks to our citizens," McCourry said. "I encourage all of our citizens to take their own personal precautions for them and their families to make sure they limit their exposure or provide the coverage with some of the over the counter sprays."

David Swain, recreation manager for the city, said results are typically released Wednesdays or Thursdays.  The results of the testing typically dictate what, if anything, the city does in regard to spraying, he said.

"We will have a better idea later this week as to if any additional spraying is needed," Swain said. "Results from testing have largely come back negative over the past several weeks.  We did have one positive test last week in the Baker Street ditch, and it was sprayed on [last Thursday]."

Treatments were applied at BB Owen Softball Complex; Lions Club Park; Austin Ranch area, from Plano Parkway on the west to The Colony city limits on the east; Norris Drive on the south, Paige Road on the east, the ditch between Yager Drive and Keller Circle on the north, and Miller Drive on the west; the ditch south of Strickland Avenue, from Main Street on the west to Blair Oaks Drive on the east.

McCourry said the city has gone above and beyond the normal allotted inventory for spraying and combating West Nile.

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