West Nile Virus Control Spraying Scheduled For Abington

Mosquito spraying has been scheduled for Abington and Cheltenham Townships to control the spread of populations and West Nile Virus, the Montgomery County Health Department announced on Tuesday.

The spraying will take place on Thursday, July 23 from 8:30 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. There will be a rain date of Monday, July 27.

Nearby, Phoenixville and Schuylkill Township were recently sprayed after two positive tests in the borough within a matter of weeks.

Abington and Cheltenham will be treated with Duet Duel-action Adulticide, which will be disbursed at a rate of .75 fluid ounces per acre from a sprayer mounted on a truck.

All areas within the highlighted sections on the map will be treated.

The treated area in Abington borders Easton Road, Jenkintown Road, North Hills Road, Limekiln Pike, and Mt. Carmel Avenue.

The affected areas in Cheltenham Township are bordered by Radcliffe Road, Glenside Avenue, Rices Mill Road, Limekiln Pike, and Church Road.

Adulticide is a generic category of pesticides which target the adult populations of insects.

The Health Department said that they would be working with the appropriate agencies to “identify, eliminate, or treat with larvacide” areas where mosquitoes are breeding.

It is not known the specific type of pesticide which will be used by the townships.

When Phoenixville sprayed the pesticide Permanone RTU last week, residents expressed concerns over its environmental side effects.

Pemethrin is one of the accepted pesticides used by the EPA and could be the chemical which the township is using.

The Chester County Health Department said it was harmless to the environment in small doses and that the spraying was necessary to minimize the risk of West Nile Virus.

Montgomery County health officials have issued a health alert, advising residents to take precautions, including:

• Stay indoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitos are most active
• Wear long sleeve shirts and long pants when outside
• Use insect repellents when mosquitoes are active
• Dispose of open containers that may collect water, such as tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots, etc.
• Drill holes in the bottom of outdoor recycling containers so that water will not collect
• Keep your property clear of old tires
• Clean roof gutters, particularly if leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to plug drains
• Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use
• Turn over wheelbarrows and don’t let water stagnate in birdbaths
• Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools when not in use
• A swimming pool left untended by a family on vacation for a month can produce enough mosquitoes to result in neighborhood-wide complaints. Mosquitoes may even breed in the water that collects on pool covers
• For stagnant pools of water that cannot be removed or drained, homeowners can buy Bti products such as mosquito dunks at lawn/garden, outdoor supply, home improvement and other stores. This naturally occurring bacterial product kills mosquito larvae but is safe for people, pets, aquatic life and plants.

Officials say this “heightened” concern will likely remain in effect until the first frost in mid-October.

The chances of contracting West Nile Virus are very small and chances of becoming ill are even smaller. However, about 20% of infected individuals may experience flu-like symptoms that could include fever and a rash, according to Mayo Clinic.

In less than one percent of infected victims, West Nile causes a severe neurological infection which may cause confusion, convulsions, tremors, inflammation of the spinal cord, and coma, Mayo Clinic states.