Concerns On The Rise After West Nile-Infected Mosquitoes Found In Tulsa County

The Tulsa County Health Department is tasked with controlling the mosquito population, but after seven traps tested positive for West Nile, many are concerned.

Near Pine and Harvard is one of the areas where they’ve already found West Nile-infected mosquitoes. So far, there haven’t been any reports of people being infected, and health officials hope to keep it that way.

In Bixby, Sandra Judd said she hasn’t seen any, so far, but expects that to change.

"Just a couple of blocks up there is a drainage ditch and the water stands there, and the mosquitoes breed there, and I do walk in the neighborhood and lots of times in that area you see and experience mosquitoes," she said.

It's early in the mosquito season, but health department workers have already collected quite a few.

6/7/2016 Related Story: West Nile Virus Infected Mosquitoes Found In Tulsa County

Many traps have already been emptied, and some of the mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile, with more samples needing to be tested.

"We've found seven positive cases in seven different square mile grids out of 37 traps, and we're going to treat all those this week," said Bernard Dindey with the Tulsa County Health Department.

Four positives traps were found in Tulsa, along with two in Broken Arrow and one in Bixby.

In areas with high mosquito populations, health department workers are spraying and using a variety of larvicides.

Through September, 37 specialized mosquito traps will move around the county; it's one of the ways health official are assessing and controlling the mosquito population.

"That's what the surveillance trap helps us identify, is increasing mosquito population. And as the season goes on, and we get into September, it lets us know the population is starting to decrease," Dindey said.

If you have a mosquito problem and you live in Tulsa County, there's a special county number to call. The county logs the calls and uses that to determine where to spray.

That number is 918-595-4219.

You can also find more information here.