CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — The Ross County Health District will spray for mosquitoes the evening of Sept. 8 in parts of Union and Green townships and part of Ward 3 in Chillicothe after traps in those areas tested positive for West Nile virus, the health district said.
Spraying is scheduled to begin after 8 p.m. If rain or high winds force a postponement, the health district said it will spray the evening of Sept. 10 instead.
It comes about a month after the health district reported West Nile virus in two other Ross County mosquito pools in early August. Health officials said it is not uncommon for mosquitoes in the area to test positive for the virus.
Crews will apply Duet, an adulticide mosquito control product the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved for ground and aerial application in outdoor residential and recreational areas, according to the health district. Used according to label directions, the treatment is not expected to harm people, pets, other animals or the environment, the release said.
The health district said it checked the FieldCheck/BeeCheck registry and contacted anyone with registered beehives in the spray area. Bees and other pollinators are unlikely to be affected because they are generally not active during evening hours, according to the release.
Residents who want to opt out of spraying in front of their homes can contact the Ross County Health District at 740-775-1158 or email [email protected] by noon on the day of spraying.
Most people infected with West Nile virus do not develop symptoms, but about one in five may experience fever, headache, body aches, joint pain, nausea or rash, according to the health district. In rare cases the virus can cause severe or fatal illness, and people over 60 and those with certain chronic health conditions face higher risk. There is no vaccine or medication to prevent or treat West Nile virus in humans.
The health district recommends residents use an EPA-registered insect repellent, wear light-colored clothing treated with permethrin or another registered repellent, avoid outdoor activity from dusk to dawn, and remove standing water in flowerpots, birdbaths, tarps and gutters where mosquitoes breed. Mosquito larvicide tablets are available at the Ross County Health District on a first-come, first-served basis for standing water that cannot be emptied.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Ross County Health District.
