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Updated 36 minutes ago
State teams must water the Mount areas. Pleasant Borough and Mt. Pleasant Township Thursday evening to reduce the mosquito population and the risk of West Nile virus.
Crews will spray
DeltaGard, which is classified as a reduced risk pesticide by the Environmental Protection Agency and "should not have any impact on people or pets," according to the Ministry of Protection's Department. ;environment. Truck-mounted, low-volume equipment will be used to apply the product at the rate of 1 ounce per acre.
Spraying will take place between 8 am and 11 pm in an area bounded by Clay Avenue in the south, Chestnut Street in the east, the intersection of Slope Hill Road and Depot Street to the northeast, North Geary Street in the north. West and Quarry Street to the west.
"High levels of West Nile virus in mosquitoes
The population of this area has been detected, "said Lauren Fraley, Community Relations Coordinator at the South West Regional Office of the DEP. "This, coupled with the density of the human population, makes this area of Westmoreland County a suitable place for spraying."
"People can go to their normal occupations during spraying, but the DEP takes steps to courtesy to avoid groups of people near direct spray. If a person has respiratory problems or is concerned, the DEP recommends staying indoors for about 10 to 15 minutes after the truck passes. The material goes through the environment very quickly. "
The West Nile Virus Control Program in Pennsylvania collected 361 mosquito samples in the county this year and found that 10 of the 92 tested were infected with the virus.
One of these positive samples was was collected at Pleasant Township Mountain on July 12. Two positive samples were found in Ligonier Township and one in Latrobe, New Kensington, Vandergrift, Delmont and Derry townships, St. Clair and Penn.
Mosquitoes were also tested positive for West Nile virus in 42 other counties in Pennsylvania – including Allegheny, with 18 positive samples, and Fayette, with seven samples.The highest number is in York County, with 93 samples
Two infections have been found in dead birds, one in Somerset and Lebanon counties, but no human infections have been found in this area.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, all residents in areas where the virus has been identified are at risk of contracting West Nile encephalitis, an infection that can lead to inflammation of the brain .
The DEP suggests several steps to take to help prevent mosquito bites: Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks on the outside – especially at dawn and dusk, when insects are the most active.
Use an insect repellent with an active ingredient such as DEET, picardin oil or lemon eucalyptus essence. Consult a doctor on issues regarding the use of repellent on children; repellent is not recommended for children under two months old.
Make sure the screens fit well above doors and windows to keep mosquitoes away.
The DEP also recommends that residents eliminate pools of stagnant water, which can be used as a breeding ground for mosquitoes, or treat water with Bti, a bacterium that kills mosquito larvae and can be purchased at gardening and home improvement stores. .
Jeff Himler is editor-in-chief of Tribune-Review. You can contact Jeff at 724-836-6622, [email protected] or via Twitter @jhimler_news.
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