A second cycle of mosquito sprays is planned for Wednesday

COVENTRY, RI – The second round of aerial mosquito spraying in Rhode Island has been postponed to Wednesday, weather permitting. If all goes as planned, both areas will be covered overnight, the Department of Environmental Management announced Tuesday.

Spraying on both "critical risk" areas was initially scheduled for Monday night, but bad weather in Massachusetts delayed the schedule. The first area covers all of West Warwick and parts of Cranston, Warwick, East Greenwich, West Greenwich, Coventry and Scituate. Although part of this area has already been covered in the first round of spraying, the DEM has expanded the area to include more Coventry and more western and southern portions of West Greenwich. Most of the second zone, including parts of Westerly, Charlestown and Hopkinton, was also covered in the first round, but was expanded to areas of Hopkinton, Richmond, South Kingstown and even more of Charlestown.

This year has been particularly bad for equine encephalitis in eastern Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Earlier this month, a man in his 50s from West Warwick died as a result of his illness. Since then, two other people, a resident of Charlestown and a six-year-old child from Coventry, have also been confirmed as having an EEE. Both were released from the hospital and recover fully.

For successful spraying, the weather must be calm with temperatures above 58 degrees. The pesticide used, Anvil 10 + 10, is used in low concentrations and is not expected to cause health problems to residents. As an added precaution, residents are encouraged to stay inside as much as possible and to close their windows while spraying.

The risks of mosquito-borne diseases will continue until the first frost, DEM said. Rhode Island residents are encouraged to continue to take precautions, including keeping mosquito nets on windows, insect repellent containing DEET as an active ingredient and long trousers and sleeves. outside.