CARTHAGE, PANOLA COUNTY (KYTX) - The warning for all East Texans tonight, be persistent in defending yourself against West Nile, after an elderly Carthage man just died from the virus.
There are 4 confirmed cases in Panola County, including the man who died.
As of now the man's name who died is not being released, and people in town are wondering where efforts to keep the mosquito population down have been ramped up in town.
Matt Sanford spends some afternoons at the park in Carthage relaxing, and he tries to protect himself from mosquitos with deet.
"Don't do it everyday, usually days like this I put it on earlier because it was raining," says Sanford.
Sanford says he also tries to stay inside when it's just finished raining.
He knew about the Carthage man who died from West Nile who was at a Shreveport hospital being treated.
"It does pose a concern when someone does, you should try to protect yourself," says Sanford.
"As far as stepping up spraying, we did that a few weeks ago before the first case was diagnosed," says William Brooks, the city's Director of Public Works.
Brooks says workers spray 4 nights a week, splitting the city in half and hitting each section twice with the cities one truck.
And they use larvicide for standing water.
"Its very, very expensive to spray for mosquitos. That's why a lot of little cities don't do it because the money's just not there," says Brooks.
City workers have to wait until after dark to spray, and the state mandates if winds are 10 mph or higher, they can't spray at all that night.
"Drain water buckets out by the patio, clean your gutters," says Brooks.
He says the best advice, because pooled water will lead to a growing mosquito population.
Something Sanford says is easy to understand and do for everyone in town.
"Use basic common sense, and a little bug spray," says Sanford.
The city of Carthage spends about $60,000 a year on mosquito control.
Brooks says workers use larvicide year-roud and every late summer they begin spraying more.
Many smaller cities can't afford full spray operations.
Brooks says the city of Beckville is reaching out to Carthage workers to contract out help.
Two more cases of West Nile showed up today in Smith and Cherokee counties.
The other East Texas death was reported out of Gregg County.
That brings the total to nearly 900 in the state with 34 deaths.
