PEABODY — A mosquito in town tested positive for West Nile virus.
Peabody Police reported the positive test in a Facebook post on Friday afternoon. It was not immediately clear when the positive sample was collected.
The positive sample in Peabody comes on the heels of positive results in Lynn, Malden, Medford and other surrounding communities. As of Aug. 11, there have been 67 positive cases of West Nile discovered across Massachusetts. There’s amoderate risk for the virus in 59 communities, according to the state’s Executive Office of Health and Human Services.
You can wear long sleeves and apply repellent to reduce your risk of contracting the illness, according to a tip sheet issued by the state. The sheet also advises residents to eliminate standing water on your property to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds.
