DOH Battling Infected Mosquitoes
Parts of Elmhurst, Maspeth, Middle Village and Rego Park are scheduled to be sprayed with pesticide by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOH) this evening, Thursday, Sept. 13, as part of the agency’s effort to eradicate mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus.
Weather permitting, the spraying will begin at 7:30 p.m. and continue until 6 a.m. Friday morning, Sept. 14. In the event of inclement weather, the pesticide application will take place between the same hours on Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 17-18.
The spraying area is generally bounded on the north by Grand Av- enue, the Long Island Expressway and Queens Boulevard; on the east by 63rd Road and Woodhaven Boulevard; on the south by Furmanville Avenue, 80th Street and Metropolitan Avenue; and on the west by Mount Olivet Crescent and Fresh Pond Road.
During the scheduled hours, pickup trucks will roam through the area spraying what the Health Department described as “a very low concentration of Anvil 10+10,” a synthetic pesticide which “poses no significant risks to human health.”
Even so, the Health Department advised all residents to remain indoors during the spraying, especially those with respiratory ailments such as asthma. Exposure to the pesticide may aggravate chronic lung conditions.
Air conditioners may be used by those in the spraying area, but the Health Department suggests keeping the vents closed to prevent indoor exposure to the pesticide.
Before spraying occurs, residents should remove all toys, clothes and equipment left outdoors. Anything left outside during spraying should be thoroughly washed with soap and water before reuse. Produce exposed to the pesticide should also be thoroughly cleaned before consumption.
Anyone who is exposed to the pesticide should wash themselves and their clothing with soap and water.
As noted, the spraying is being conducted in an effort to reduce the spread of West Nile virus, a mosquito borne illness which reached New York City and the Western Hemisphere in 1999. Over the years, the virus has spread gradually across the United States, and this summer reportedly produced the highest number of human West Nile infections since the disease first arrived on American soil.
Many people who are infected with the West Nile virus experience no symptoms, but some-especially the very young and old and those with low immune systems-can experience flu-like symptoms such as a fever, a headache, weakness and fatigue.
Left untreated, the virus could lead to diseases such as encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, that could prove fatal. Anyone who believes they have symptoms of the West Nile virus should seek medical attention immediately.
To avoid being bitten by mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus, the Health Department advises that residents following these safety tips:
– wear protective clothing and use insect repellent containing deet or picaridin;
– repair or replace window screens which have tears or holes;
– remove standing water on property, including from outdoor containers (having standing water is a health code violation);
– keep all roof gutters clean and free of clogs for proper drainage;
– keep pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs clean and chlorinated, or empty when not in use.
To report standing water or for questions about spraying, call 311 or visit www.nyc.gov/health/wnv.
