New Bedford Mosquito Sample Tests Positive for West Nile Virus

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — A mosquito sample taken in New Bedford last week has tested positive for the West Nile virus.

The City of New Bedford announced this afternoon that regional health officials had been notified by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health of the positive test.

The mosquito sample was collected on July 24 in the Hicks Logan neighborhood.

“The state’s local risk level for West Nile remains low, which indicates infection is unlikely,” the City stated in a release. “The sample was found in a primarily bird-biting mosquito. The location of the July 24 collection in New Bedford’s Hicks Logan neighborhood does not diminish the possibility of mosquitos carrying the virus elsewhere in the city, as mosquito habitat is common throughout the region.”

It is not the first mosquito sample on the SouthCoast to test positive for West Nile in 2024; on July 17, positive samples were found in Dartmouth and Fairhaven, in Seekonk on July 18, Attleboro on July 19, Easton and Norton on July 23, Fairhaven again on July 24, and Swansea on July 25.

READ MORE: West Nile Virus Found in Dartmouth Mosquito Sample

There have been no mosquito samples detected with Eastern Equine Encephalitis so far this year in Bristol County, and there have been no human cases of either EEE or West Nile virus in humans in Massachusetts in 2024.

The Bristol County Mosquito Project will conduct additional targeted ground spraying early Thursday morning in New Bedford, south of Interstate 195 and east of Route 18. The spraying will supplement the county’s normal weekly ground spraying, which every Thursday during the summer between 2 a.m. and sunrise.

That spraying takes place around Buttonwood Park, Brooklawn Park, Fort Taber, Hazelwood Park, Riverside Park, Clasky Common Park, Ashley Park, Wing’s Court, Custom House Square and other parts of downtown.

The New Bedford Health Department recommends taking precautions such as avoiding outdoor activities during peak mosquito biting times, wearing clothing that will protect against bites such as long sleeves or pants, applying an insect repellant with DEET when outdoors, draining any standing water on your property, and installing or repairing door and window screens.