The Knox County Health Department (KCHD) has received a positive lab report of West Nile Virus (WNV) in a mosquito pool in the Fourth Avenue area close to Interstate 275.

Following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocol, KCHD will spray for mosquitoes in the affected area Thursday, July 25 between 9 p.m. and midnight, weather permitting, to reduce the mosquito population and the risk of WNV spreading to humans.

Signs will be posted in the affected area to alert residents, who are asked to stay inside during spraying and keep pets inside or in the backyard.

"The heavy rain we've had this year gives mosquitoes plenty of areas to reproduce," said KCHD Environmental Health Director Ronnie Nease. "We encourage the public to use mosquito repellant when outdoors and regularly remove any standing water on their properties, which can collect in gutters, children's outdoor toys, flowerpots, trash cans, birdbaths and many other places."

Spray Area:
Cooper Street north of West Fifth Avenue; West Fifth Avenue from Cooper Street to Boyd Street; West Fourth Avenue; Elm Street; Marion Street; Dameron Avenue; Hatton Avenue; Burgess Avenue; Baxter Avenue from Elm Street to Wray Street; Lee Street; and Bernard Avenue will be treated Thursday night. Follow-up spraying will be conducted Thursday, Aug. 8.

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; and Use 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 and prevention tips are available by calling (865) 215-5200 or visiting www.knoxcounty.org/health and clicking on the Environmental Health section.

About Knox County Health Department:
The Knox County Health Department (KCHD) is a governmental agency dedicated to making every person a healthy person. KCHD conducts disease surveillance, prevention and control; emergency preparedness; nutrition and physical activity promotion; tobacco use prevention and control; health equity promotion; adult and child immunizations; and much more. KCHD's mission is to encourage, promote and assure the development of an active, healthy community through innovative public health practices. For more information, visit www.knoxcounty.org/health.