Wednesday, September 27, 2017
The Atlantic County Office of Mosquito Control has scheduled ground sprays for portions of Hamilton Township after mosquito samples tested positive for West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis.
The ground sprays are conducted as part of an ongoing effort to control adult mosquitoes and prevent the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses.
Public health officials note that positive WNV samples are not uncommon, especially at this time of year. The Atlantic County Division of Public Health will be providing information and education packets to area residents in the vicinity of the positive samples.
The ground spray application will take place, weather permitting,on Friday, September 29, between 4:30 AM and 6 AM. The area to be treated is bounded by Old Harding Highway, Monmouth Drive, Roosevelt Avenue, Rose Boulevard, Knight Avenue and Reading Avenue. A second area to be treated is bounded by Crocus Street, Benson Avenue, Beech Lane, Essex Street and Route 40.
The ground sprays will be conducted using Scourge, the trade name for resmethrin, applied as an ultra-low volume aerosol.
The Environmental Protection Agency does not require people to relocate or take special precautions during mosquito control spraying. The public may choose to avoid or minimize exposure by staying indoors during applications; keeping windows shut; window fans and air conditioning off or set to circulate indoor air; keeping children’s toys indoors; keeping pets and their food, water dishes and toys indoors.
Mosquito Control officials remind residents of the importance of removing standing water from their properties and cleaning their gutters to eliminate potential mosquito breeding grounds.
For more information, visit: www.aclink.org/publicworks/mosquito or call the West Nile Virus hotline at 1-877-64FACTS.