KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knox County Health Department said Friday that mosquitoes tested positive for West Nile virus in the West Hills area.
The health department said it is following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and will spray the area for mosquitoes on Tuesday, Aug. 8. They said the area will be sprayed starting at around 8 p.m. and will last until around 2 a.m. that night, weather permitting.
They said Culex mosquitoes tested positive for it, a common type of mosquito that lays eggs on the surface of fresh or stagnant water. Its breeding grounds can include barrels, troughs, ornamental ponds or unmaintained swimming pools.
Residents are asked to stay inside while the health department sprays for the mosquitoes and said they should keep pets inside or in their backyard.
They also said people should apply repellants to their skin when outdoors to avoid contracting West Nile virus. They can also wear long, loose and light-colored shirts and pants. Clothes can also be treated with permethrin, and people can regularly empty water-holding containers to avoid giving the mosquitoes a place to lay eggs.
A list of the roads to be treated is available below.
- Somerset Rd.
- Manderly Way
- Corteland Dr.
- Chesterfield Dr.
- Bennington Dr.
- Shadycrest Dr.
- Vanosdale Rd.
- Westdale Dr.
- Portsmouth Rd.
- Sheffield Dr.
- Churchill Rd.
- North Winston Rd.
- Buckingham Dr.
- Clubhouse Way.
- Garden Villa Way
- Westbridge Dr.
Residents can request their yard to not be sprayed by calling KCHD's environment health program at 865-215-5200. Beekeepers who do not want their yards to be sprayed can also call 865-215-5200.
The spray is non-toxic to children and pets, and KCHD said it sprays at night to minimize the harm to pollinators. Traps will also be set out throughout the county and monitored for mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus.
The CDC said around one in five people who contract West Nile virus develop a fever and over symptoms. Around one in 150 people develop a serious illness.