Tarrant County Receives National Achievement Award for Development of West Nile Virus Mapping Tool

Tarrant County has received the National Association of Counties (NACo) 2014 Achievement Award – in the category of Information Technology – for its “West Nile Virus Mapping Tool”.

The NACo Achievement Award Program recognizes innovative county government programs that modernize county government and increase services to county residents.

“It’s a tremendous honor to receive this award and to be recognized for our commitment to the community,” says Tarrant County Deputy Chief Information Officer Christopher Nchopa-Ayafor. “We will continue to innovate and excel in digital government in a quest to become the best IT organization in state and local government.”

Tarrant County Information Technology Department’s Geographical Information System team collaborated with Tarrant County Public Health to develop a West Nile Virus (WNV) application during the record-breaking WNV season of 2012.

The first phase of the project (Summer 2012) involved the development of an internal mapping site where staff can search for positive and negative mosquito traps – as well as positive human cases.  Search criteria include date range, buffer distance, zip code, and city.

The second phase (Spring 2013) involved the development of a public site. Visitors can download statistical information based on demographics, see current and projected spray areas (aerial and ground), and read public announcements.

“This is a great tool for all Tarrant County residents to stay updated on current WNV conditions and announcements, and it shows in the number of visitors we’ve seen. It’s one more way we are working together to safeguard our community,” says TCPH Interim Health Director Ann Salyer-Caldwell.

Last year, NACo recognized Tarrant County as one of the “Top Ten Digital Counties” for the 500,000 or more population category in the United States.

To learn more about this tool, click here.