News Releases > Health department to spray for mosquitoes in Aboite on Tuesday - Targeted effort to reduce risk of West Nile virus
ALLEN COUNTY, Ind. (September 29, 2008) – Despite the cooler temperatures, mosquitoes continue to be active and the diseases they can carry are potentially life-threatening.
To help reduce the risk, the Fort Wayne-Allen County Health Department will be spraying Tuesday in an area of Aboite Township where mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile virus.
Vector control crews will spray in a half-mile radius of the 9700 block of Reindeer Road on the southwest side of the city, weather permitting. Spraying will occur between the hours of 6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., but only if the temperature is above 55 °F, wind speeds are less than 10 mph and it is not raining.
A map of the spray area is included with this release and will be posted on the department’s Web site. Residents may request that their property not be sprayed by calling (260) 449-7459 and leaving their name, address, phone number or email.
The West Nile virus is usually transmitted to humans by a mosquito that has first bitten an infected bird. About one in five people infected will experience symptoms such as fever, headaches, body aches, or a rash. Only about 1 in 150 will develop severe symptoms such as neck stiffness, disorientation, coma or paralysis.
Residents can reduce the risk by wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors, by applying an insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus on clothes and exposed skin, and by ridding their properties of old tires, plastic containers, ceramic pots or other unused containers that can hold water.
“Until we see a good hard freeze, mosquitoes will still be out and you need to protect yourself from being bitten,” says David Fiess, Director of Vector Control and Environmental Services. “If you get rid of the sources of standing water, you can keep the mosquitoes from breeding.”
For more information, please visit www.fw-ac-deptofhealth.com.
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