NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) — A mosquito sample collected last week in New Bedford’s Hicks Logan neighborhood has tested positive for West Nile virus.

The city said the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) notified regional health officials on Tuesday.

The type of mosquito involved mostly bites birds and the local risk level remains low, according to the city.

Although the sample was collected in one neighborhood, it is possible the virus is present in other parts of the city.

The Bristol County Mosquito Project will conduct targeted ground-spraying on Thursday in areas south of I-195 and east of Route 18.

The county sprays for mosquitoes every Thursday during the summer between 2 a.m. and sunrise. Parks and other areas with large public events are often the focus.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , WNV is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the United States. There are no vaccines or medicines to treat the virus in people.

Most people who develop WNV don’t feel sick, but one in five people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. The virus can be deadly in some cases.

You can protect yourself from mosquitoes by putting screens on windows and making sure there is no standing water on your property. The DEM also recommends cleaning your gutters and adding larvicide treatments like mosquito dunks, using EPA-approved bug spray and avoiding going outside at sunrise and sundown.

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