Knox County Mosquito Spraying and West Nile Virus

We have highlighted a few times over the spring and summer ways to keep mosquitoes from making you and your family a gallon club blood donor. The biggest fear with mosquitoes these days comes with the presence of West Nile Virus (What is West Nile Virus). Unfortunately for us here in East Tennessee the West Nile Virus has had its first confirmed case in Knox County.

In response local authorities will begin spraying for mosquitoes around the county.

The Knox County Health Department will spray for mosquitoes for the first time this year on Thursday.

Testing for the West Nile Virus started in May, but the first positive results didn’t turn up until now, which is a little unusual.

“This is the first pool we’ve had that’s tested positive all summer, which we felt very fortunate that we’ve not had any West Nile to show up in humans, horses or mosquitoes, so we are very fortunate to have gone this long without having any West Nile Virus in our community,” said Ronnie Nease, the Director of Public Health for the the Knox County Health Department.

Your neighborhood may not have been tested to have a presence of West Nile, but it more than likely has some mosquitoes. Here are a few quick tips to keep prevent mosquitoes from congregating around your home.

1. Clean Up Standing Water: Do an inspection around your house and look for pooling water in the yard, on the side of the home (garden hoses are culprits), in pet bowls, flower pots, trash can lids, etc. No amount of water is too little. Remove the standing water by spreading it out, drying off, or whatever means is needed. This is get rid of mosquito breeding areas. This practice is the single most proactive measure to keeping mosquitoes away.
2. Use Some Prevention: You can create some gardens or grow some plants that will help to keep the mosquitoes away. Putting on some DEET or citronella can assist in keeping the mosquitoes from finding you and your home appealing.
3. Get a Treatment: If you want something immediate you can get your yard and outside of the home treated for mosquitoes. Treatments today will be effective on into colder fall and winter months. You can do that now and then worry about building those cool bug free gardens in the beginning of spring.

If you suspect that you, your family members, or friends may have contracted West Nile Virus we encourage you to visit the hospital. Most times the WNV is not fatal, but it is a hassle and getting the proper diagnosis and treatment will get everyone back onto life as normal sooner rather than later.