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Cumberland County officials to conduct mosquito control spray

The measure follows an announcement by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection that West Nile Virus positive mosquitos have been located in the area.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. — Editors note: The above video is from Aug. 17, 2021.

Cumberland County will be conducting an adult mosquito control spray the night of Thursday, Aug. 11 from dusk through 11 p.m. 

The spray will be conducted in portions of Carlisle Borough, North Middleton, and Middlesex Townships. The measure follows an announcement by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that West Nile Virus positive mosquitos have been located in three municipalities within the past week. 

“Our recent collections have revealed high populations of adult mosquitoes, some of which were determined to have West Nile Virus,” John Bitner, Cumberland County Vector Control Chief said. 

Here are the best practices to prevent the disease's spread by mosquitos: 

  • Using mosquito repellants, wearing longs sleeved shirts and pants.
  • Taking extra precautions around dusk, the peak of female mosquito feeding.
  • Securing window and doors screens, so mosquitos can’t make it into your home.
  • Eliminating stagnate water around your property.
  • Treating water sources that cannot be drained, mosquito dunks or bits that contain Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti), which kills larvae. These products are safe for use around humans and pets, and can be found at hardware stores and other local retailers.

Mosquitos transmit WNV by feeding on infected birds and transmit the disease when biting another bird, animal, or human. 

The virus is not spread by person-to-person contact. One in five people infected with WNV develop a mild infection called West Nile Fever; aches, fever, skin rash, and swollen lymph nodes are symptoms of this infection. With rest and fluids, most people recover in a few days. 

Less than 1% of infections develop into the life-threatening West Nile Encephalitis. Symptoms in severe cases include a high fever, headache, neck stiffness, muscle weakness, disorientation, tremors, and convulsions. This infection requires immediate medical treatment. 

Residents can submit mosquito complaints here. For more information, visit www.ccpa.net/vector

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