Fort Collins plans to spray West Nile virus-carrying mosquitoes for the third time this summer.
This route is west of Fort Collins, which will be the second application this summer in some areas of the area.
In a news release on Tuesday, the city announced that spraying of permethrin-based products in a fine mist will begin at 8:00 pm on Sunday, August 6. The boundaries are Taft Hill Road to the west, College Avenue to the east, Mulberry Street to the north, and Carpenter Road to the south.
To minimize exposure to pesticides, residents and their pets should stay indoors and keep doors and windows closed for 30 to 60 minutes after application. Residents can further minimize pesticide exposure by covering organic gardens, ponds and water bodies with sheets and tarps.
According to the city, contractor Vector Disease Control International will schedule the spraying after scheduled outdoor events at the city’s parks and recreation department, the Poodle School District, or Colorado State University.
You can check the dispersion map and track the fog-producing trucks in real time at the following locations on Sunday: www.fcgov.com/westnile/.
Some areas within the August 6 spray area were also sprayed on July 23. It extends from Taft Hill Road in the west to College Avenue in the east and from Drake Road in the north to Trilby Road in the south.
Areas northeast of Drake Road and College Avenue were sprayed on July 30.
The city said the decision to spray follows the recommendations of the Larimar County Department of Health and Environment and is consistent with the city’s policy on West Nile virus control.
One case of West Nile virus has been reported in the county so far, affecting a resident of South Fort Collins, according to the Larimer County Health Department. A map on the Colorado Department of Health website shows three confirmed cases across the state, one in El Paso County and one in La Plata County.
Cases in Larimer County were reported much earlier than last year’s cases, probably because of the dampness the area experienced earlier this summer, which now has an unusually high number of virus-carrying mosquitoes. it is conceivable that. Health officials say there is an “unprecedented risk” from West Nile virus this summer.
Last year, the state reported 206 cases of West Nile virus, including 20 deaths, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Who is most at risk of contracting West Nile virus?
According to the Larimer County Health Department, people over the age of 60 and those with serious illnesses or compromised immune systems are more likely to have the most serious illnesses than younger patients.
West Nile virus may adversely affect
- 1 in 150 people infected with West Nile virus develops severe symptoms. Symptoms appear 3 to 14 days after infection and include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, loss of vision, numbness, and paralysis. These symptoms may last for weeks and the neurological effects may be permanent.
- About 20% of infected people develop symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph nodes and skin rashes on the chest, abdomen, and back.
- 80% of people infected with the virus have no symptoms.
What You Can Do to Reduce Mosquitoes and Their Bites
- Culex pipiens lay eggs in as little as two inches of water.
- Drains items such as bird baths, containers, and kiddie pools.
- Use DEET or another effective mosquito repellent.
- Avoid exposure during the peak feeding time for Culex pipiens between dusk and dawn.
- Wear long sleeves and pants to reduce skin exposure.
Colorado reporters Miles Blumhardt and Erin Udel contributed to earlier reporting.
