The latest lab report has confirmed the presence of West Nile virus (WNV) in Culex mosquitoes in the south Chapman Highway and west Kingston Pike areas of Knox County. Following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocol, the Knox County Health Department (KCHD) will spray for mosquitoes in these areas on Thursday, Aug. 23 between 8:30 p.m. and 2 a.m., weather permitting, to reduce the Culex mosquito population and the risk of WNV spreading to humans. Signs will be posted in the affected neighborhoods to alert residents, who are asked to stay inside during spraying and keep pets inside or in the backyard. Maps of the spray areas are attached. 

“We typically begin seeing positive mosquito pools this time of year,” said KCHD Director of Environmental Health Ronnie Nease. “It’s important for everyone to do their part to protect themselves and their families from mosquito-borne disease; this includes wearing repellant and removing standing water from properties.”

To reduce your risk of WNV and other mosquito-borne diseases, KCHD recommends: 

• Applying repellants to skin often; these can include lotions, liquids or sprays. The CDC recommends the use of repellants containing one of the following ingredients: DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, 2-undecanone or IR3535. The duration of protection varies by repellant. Read labels on products to determine when reapplications are necessary for optimal protection. 
• Wearing socks and long, loose, and light-colored shirts and pants. 
• Treating clothing with permethrin or purchase pretreated permethrin clothing.
• Disposing of, regularly emptying, or turning over any water-holding containers on your property such as tires, cans, flower pots, children’s toys and trash cans.
• Using larvicides, such as mosquito torpedoes or mosquito dunks, to prevent breeding in large water-holding containers, including bird baths and garden water features. If used properly, larvicides will not harm animals.
More tips can be found at http://www.knoxcounty.org/health/mosquitoes.php 

South Chapman Highway spray area:
Henry Haynes Road from Chapman Highway to Babs Road; Babs Road; West Marine Road from Chapman Highway to Babs Road; Bush Lane; Tipton Station Road from Chapman Highway to Jonesboro Drive; White Creek Drive; Cold Stream Lane; Sweet Water Lane; West Hendron Chapel; Love Lane; Kimberlin Heights Road from Chapman Highway to Arthur Harmon Road; Pennyroyal Drive; Twinleaf Lane; Crossfield Drive; Sagefield Drive; Clovefield Lane; Basilfield Drive; Dillfield Drive; Arthur Harmon Road from Governor John Sevier to Kimberlin Heights Road; Konda Drive; Karla Drive; Bridgette Circle; and Michaels Lane will be treated Thursday, Aug. 23. This area is scheduled for follow-up spraying on Thursday, Sept. 6, weather permitting. 

West Kingston Pike spray area:
Hayfield Road; Crowfield Road; all roads connected to Crowfield Road; Triplett Lane; Redmont Lane; High Lander Way; Franklin Hills Boulevard; Hampton Court; Capital Drive; Fox Road to Capital Drive; Perimeter Park Road; Sherway Road; and Sherlake Lane will be treated Thursday, Aug. 23, weather permitting. Follow-up spraying is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 6, weather permitting. 

To reduce the risk of mosquito-borne disease, KCHD conducts a West Nile virus control program during summer and fall 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. These efforts are in addition to KCHD’s work to assess and monitor for other mosquito-borne illnesses. More information is available by calling 865-215-5200 or visiting www.knoxcounty.org/health.