West Nile Virus Mosquito Spraying Delayed In West Chester

WEST CHESTER, PA — Spraying previously scheduled for Thursday night to control the spread of mosquitoes and West Nile Virus in West Chester has been delayed.

A new date has not been announced, although when the spraying was initially announced this week, a rain date of Aug. 20 was set.

The county will use a truck-mounted sprayer to apply .66 ounces of DeltaGard, which kills off mosquito populations.

Officials say that the spray becomes "inactive" hours after spraying, and that the nighttime hours are chosen because bees have already returned to their hives at that point.

According to the CDC, about one in five people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. About one out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness. You can reduce your risk of West Nile Virus by using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants to prevent mosquito bites, the CDC said.

West Nile virus appeared for the first time in Pennsylvania in birds, mosquitoes and a horse in 2000.

It is most commonly spread to humans by infected mosquitoes. It can cause febrile illness, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord), according to the CDC.

The health department added that sprays are not used near bodies of water or apiaries in order to protect aquatic life and bees.

Officials say that residents "should consider" staying inside while the spraying is occurring, and turning off any ventilation systems that draw in outside air.

The area within the shaded part of the maps above will be sprayed.

See also:

• West Chester To Be Sprayed For West Nile Virus
• Positive West Nile Samples In 6 Chester County Communities
• 2 Positive West Nile Samples Found In West Chester

Images via Chester County Health Department