Health Department will begin spraying on Thursday
ALLEN COUNTY, Ind. - Health officials confirmed today that a pool of mosquitoes collected in northwest Allen County has tested positive for the West Nile Virus.
To reduce mosquito activity and prevent the spread of the disease, the Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health will conduct adulticiding in a ½-mile radius around the 3200 block of Kroemer Road where the mosquitoes were collected.
Spraying will begin at approximately 8 p.m. and end around 11 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 16, weather permitting. The boundaries of the proposed spray area for Thursday are as follows:
* North - 3830 Kroemer Road
* East - 4429 Butler Road
* East - 4728 Leesburg Road
* West - 5909 Leesburg Road
* Southeast - 4830 Pocono Crossing
* South - 2410 Kroemer Road
A map of the proposed spray area is included with this release and available on the department's Web site at www.fw-ac-deptofhealth.com
For this application, the department will use Anvil 2+2, a synergized synthetic pyrethroid for the control of adult mosquitoes. The use of pesticides in Allen County is conducted in accordance with federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Indiana Office of the
State Chemist guidelines.
Note: Those citizens who do not wish to have mosquito adulticide sprayed in front of their residence may call (260) 449-7459 and leave their name, address and phone number either with the receptionist or on voicemail. The trucks will stop spraying one house before and begin one house after the "No Spray" address. The department will try to honor all "No Spray" requests received by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday Aug. 15.
West Nile virus is usually transmitted to humans by a mosquito that has first bitten an infected bird. Most people who become infected develop a mild case of West Nile fever, characterized by fever, headaches, body aches, swollen lymph glands or a rash. In rarer cases,the virus may cause meningitis, muscle paralysis or sometimes-fatal encephalitis. People age 50 and older are at greatest risk for serious illness.
The health department uses dead bird sightings and laboratory testing of mosquito species that transmit West Nile virus to help track the virus and to make decisions regarding appropriate control measures. So far this summer, the department has tested 240 mosquito pools.
Across the state, seven counties have reported West Nile virus activity in birds or mosquitoes. There have been no confirmed human cases in Indiana this year.
Residents can reduce their risk of exposure by wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants and applying an insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus to clothes and exposed skin. Also, residents are encouraged to eliminate standing water on or near their property.
For more information, visit www.fw-ac-deptofhealth.com.