Aerial insecticide sprayings set for Sacramento-area neighborhoods at risk from West Nile

To combat the mounting threat of West Nile virus, aerial insecticide spraying will take place in Elk Grove, the Pocket and neighborhoods south of Fruitridge Road on Monday and Tuesday, the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District said Friday.

The announcement comes after news that the city of Sacramento unintentionally heightened the risk of virus transmission in the Pocket by creating bodies of stagnant water ideal for mosquito breeding.

The sprayings are scheduled to occur from about 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Monday and Tuesday and will span about 41,000 acres, the news release said.

The district’s website features a mosquito treatment notification service, plus an interactive map so residents can determine whether they are in the spraying zone.

“It is imperative that we act quickly to reduce the risk of human West Nile virus transmission and protect public health, especially since the hottest weeks of summer are upon us and populations of mosquitoes are very high, increasing the risk to residents,” district Manager Gary Goodman said in the news release.

Planes will release Trumpet EC, an EPA-registered insecticide routinely used to curb mosquito populations across the country, the news release said.

The insecticide is not sprayed in a concentration that is harmful to humans or pets, but residents are advised to close windows and remain indoors during the spraying, according to the control district’s website.

West Nile virus is a potentially life-threatening disease contracted through the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes become carriers for the disease after they feed on an infected bird, which acts as a host for the disease.

Sacramento County leads the state for West Nile virus activity. Sixty-seven dead birds and 142 mosquito samples had tested positive for the disease in the county as of Friday.

This story was originally published July 20, 2018 at 12:33 PM.