Westmoreland Conservation District is urging residents to take precautions against tick and mosquito bites as samples of the pests collected in the county have tested positive for Lyme disease, West Nile virus and a less familiar new threat — Jamestown Canyon virus.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) has confirmed that mosquito samples collected in both West Springfield and East Longmeadow have tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV).

West Nile virus is usually spread through the bite of an infected mosquito during the summer and fall. Your best bet to avoid the virus is to avoid mosquito bites when possible.