Follow-up Spraying in East Knox Scheduled for Thursday

Communications Director

Kristin Farley
[email protected]
(865) 215-2589

400 Main St., Room 691
Knoxville, TN 37902

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Follow-up Spraying in East Knox Scheduled for Thursday

Posted: 07/08/2013
Following national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocol, Knox County Health Department (KCHD) will conduct follow-up spraying in the Milligan Street area of East Knoxville where West Nile Virus (WNV) was found in mosquitoes.

Spraying will take place Thursday, July 11 from 9 p.m. to midnight, weather permitting, to reduce the mosquito population and the risk of WNV spreading to humans. Signs will be posted in the affected areas to alert residents, who are asked to stay inside during spraying and keep pets inside or in the backyard.

East Knoxville:

The spray area includes North Cherry Street, north of Magnolia Avenue, west of North Beaman Street and South of I-40. Also included are Lakeside and Kirkwood Streets and American Avenue.

KCHD advises all residents to:Wear appropriate clothing and repellant when outside and mosquitoes are present;Disposes of, regularly empty or turn over any containers holding water on your property;Make sure roof gutters drain properly and water doesn't pool in them;Change the water in birdbaths at least once a week; andUse a mosquito repellant that contains DEET (the chemical N-N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) and follow the directions on the label. Pregnant women and those who are concerned about using repellent products on children should consult their health care provider for advice.To address the public health concerns caused by mosquitoes, KCHD conducts a mosquito control program during the summer months. As the weather warms each spring, public health professionals begin a weekly process of trapping and testing mosquitoes for WNV, a mosquito-borne disease which can infect humans, horses and birds. From March until the first frost, KCHD also uses larvicides in areas with standing water to prevent mosquito proliferation. More information on the mosquito control program as well as prevention tips are available by calling (865) 215-5200 or visiting www.knoxcounty.org/health and clicking on the Environmental Health section.