There have been nine total West Nile virus findings this summer north of Boston, but no one has come down with the disease. There have been no reported eastern equine encephalitis findings this year in the area, although there have been four in the state.
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services reported its first positive test for West Nile virus last week in a mosquito trap in Nashua.
In a bit of good timing, the Northeast Massachusetts Mosquito Control and Wetlands Management District had already sprayed in Lynn, Revere, Saugus, and Winthrop before the test results were reported, conscious of this year’s heavy population of culex mosquitoes - the common carrier of West Nile virus - and of the high number mosquitoes discovered with the virus in Boston.
Working with municipal boards of health, the district helps 32 communities in Essex County, plus Winthrop and Revere, control the mosquito population and deal with related issues.
As part of its duties, the district each Monday and Wednesday pulls mosquitoes from traps set in strategic locations, delivers them to the state Department of Public Health lab, and receives results on Friday.
“We’ve had them aggressively spray some areas, and hopefully that will knock it down completely and we’ll have no more [West Nile in] trappings,’’ said Nick Catinazzo, public health director in Revere, where the virus has been found in three mosquitoes.
Saugus had three West Nile virus findings in traps that were reported on July 29. As part of the district’s effort to knock down the culex mosquito population, spraying had already been scheduled for Monday, Aug. 1, and there were no positive results reported last Friday.
“We’ve always had isolated cases, but never three like this,’’ said Frank Giacalone, director of public health in Saugus.
Jack Card, director for the Northeast Massachusetts Mosquito Control and Wetlands Management District, said that because they breed continually, controlling the culex mosquito population by spraying isn’t practical.
