DALLAS — Shortly after weeks of heavy rain in May, Dallas County Health and Human Services found mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile Virus.

“We're right in the middle of it. And that's why we're seeing an increase in mosquito activity. So likely we're going to see the trend is going to continue going up,” Dallas County Health and Human Services spokesperson Christian Grisales said. 

He says crews are out nearly every week, setting up mosquito traps to test for any positive West Nile Virus samples.

“They have traps throughout the county. And then what they do is they bring those traps to us and to our mosquito control lab. And then once we receive those, we analyze those mosquitoes,” Grisales said. 

If there’s a confirmed sample, mosquito control units will go and spray the area. The goal is to kill the mosquitoes carrying the virus.

“So fortunately, we don't have any human cases yet. However, last year we had over 20 human cases,” Grisales said. 

So far this year Dallas County has seen more than 85 mosquito traps test positive for West Nile Virus, according to a DCHSS report.

In Tarrant County there are 52, and in Denton County, almost 90 mosquito traps have also tested positive for West Nile Virus.

“That's why we want people to be alert, to be aware of what's going on and not to ignore mosquito bites or, you know, that can cause West Nile virus,” Grisales said. 

Fortunately, the three counties have not reported any human cases. 

But Grisales says as mosquitoes continue to breed this summer, stay vigilant and protect yourself outdoors.