CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. — Cumberland County will conduct an adult mosquito control spray this week, County officials announced today.
The sprayings will occur on Tuesday, Aug. 27 and Wednesday, Aug. 28 from dusk until 11 p.m., in accordance with the Department of Environmental Protection’s Mosquito-Borne Disease Control (MDC) program. Spraying will occur in portions of Carlisle and Mechanicsburg Boroughs, as well as Mechanicsburg and Silver Spring Townships, on Tuesday, Aug. 27. On Wednesday, Aug. 28, the spray will cover parts of Dickinson, Shippensburg, Southampton and South Middleton Townships.
The control spray is being conducted due to high populations of West Nile Virus (WNV) positive mosquito samples, authorities said. WNV can cause symptoms including fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Inclement weather or other issues will shift the treatment days to the next available day.
Residents may want to avoid being outside when their area is being sprayed. Although operators will stop spraying within 50 feet of passersby when possible and the spray nozzle is angled upward, getting sprayed may not be pleasant.
"Truck mounted Ultra Low Volume Spraying is used to distribute adult mosquito product to provide quick, effective control of adult mosquito populations," the County said. "The spray material has a very low toxicity profile to mammals and negligible impact to non-target insects and the environment."
