Mosquito control treatment scheduled for West Chester

WEST CHESTER » Following the contractual guidelines/agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Chester County Health Department will conduct a mosquito control treatment spray in portions of West Chester Borough on Tuesday, Sept. 11 from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. The rain date for this event is Wednesday, Sept. 12 from 7:30 pm to 11:30 p.m.

The treatment is occurring because of the extremely high level of mosquito samples in areas

of the borough that have tested positive for West Nile Virus.

The Chester County Health Department monitors the presence of mosquitoes infected with West Nile Virus and utilizes strategies to prevent and control mosquito larvae. Despite such measures being undertaken in West Chester Borough, numerous mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile Virus which require mosquito control treatment spray to reduce the risk of transmission.

Anyone living in an area where mosquitoes are infected with West Nile Virus is at risk for contracting the illness. The risk of infection is highest for people who work outside or participate in outdoor activities. While a small percentage of people infected with the virus will develop serious illness, people over 60 years of age, people who have received organ transplants, and people with certain medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and kidney disease are at the greatest risk for serious illness.

This summer, 23 people have been confirmed as infected with the West Nile Virus in Pennsylvania, with four recent confirmations in the southeast Pennsylvania region.

The Chester County Health Department uses a truck-mounted sprayer to apply 0.66 ounces of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-approved product DeltaGard (Safety Data Sheet) per acre of land. The mosquito control spray becomes inactive in just a few hours or with sunshine.

Sprays are conducted after sunset, when mosquitoes are most active and bees have returned to their hives. The Chester County Health Department notifies registered beekeepers and residents who have previously registered as hypersensitive in a designated spray area prior to conducting a spray. People who have concerns about exposure to mosquito control products can reduce their potential for exposure by staying indoors with children and pets during the spray. If you would like to take extra precautions after the spray is completed, you can rinse off outdoor furniture or playground equipment before use.

For more information on mosquito control sprays, contact Evan Pilcicki at 610-344-6752 or epilcicki@chesco.org. For information on preventing mosquito-borne diseases, visit http://www.chesco. org/mosquitoes.