PITTSBURGH — The Allegheny County Health Department has announced that additional mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile Virus, prompting plans to spray seven Pittsburgh neighborhoods with pesticide on Monday.
The affected neighborhoods include Bloomfield, Garfield, the Hill District, Lawrenceville, Stanton Heights and Morningside. The pesticide, Zenivex E20, is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and will be applied using ultra-low volume sprayers to minimize exposure.
“Generally, the species of mosquitoes that carry West Nile Virus are active from dusk to dawn,” said Nicholas Baldauf, a vector control specialist at the Allegheny County Health Department. “To deter mosquito bites, we encourage people to use insect repellent on exposed skin or to wear long sleeves and pants.”
Zenivex E20 is considered one of the safest insecticides, with low risk to people, pets and wildlife when used properly. It degrades rapidly in sunlight and has low residual toxicity.
Spraying will occur from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., with a rain date scheduled for Tuesday. The treatment aims to lower the local mosquito population and reduce the risk of West Nile Virus transmission.
Residents are advised to eliminate mosquito breeding sites by removing stagnant water from areas like tires, pools and gutters. Reports of breeding sites can be made to the Health Department’s Housing and Community Environment Program.
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