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Allegheny County plans mosquito spraying to prevent West Nile virus
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The Allegheny County Health Department will spray areas of the East End, West End, Edgewood and Wilkinsburg with mosquito pesticide this week in an attempt to kill mosquitoes with West Nile virus.
In Allegheny County, 31 mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile since mid-May, but no human cases have been reported this year, according to the department's release.
The department will spray a pesticide called Zenivex which kills adult mosquitoes but is harmless to people and pets, according to the release. The pesticide sprayer is mounted to a truck that sprays between one and three ounces per acre.
Stormwater drains in neighborhoods where spraying will take place have already been treated with pesticide. Health officials recommend that people try to prevent the buildup of standing water, where mosquitoes breed, according to the release.
Tonight, spraying will take place in the lower part of Homewood South, Homewood Cemetery in the East End, Aberdeen Street in Edgewood and the Hunter Park area of Wilkinsburg.
On Thursday, the department will spray in the West End at Herschel Field, Pittsburgh's tire dump and on Zahniser Street.
For bad weather, the department would reschedule the spraying.
First Published July 17, 2012 12:15 am
