The latest lab report has confirmed the presence of West Nile virus (WNV) in Culex mosquitoes in the South Chapman Highway area of South Knox County and the West Hills area of West Knoxville. Following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocol, the Knox County Health Department (KCHD) will spray for mosquitoes in these areas on Thursday, Aug. 31 between 9 p.m. and midnight, weather permitting, to reduce the Culex mosquito population and the risk of WNV spreading to humans. Signs will be posted in the affected neighborhoods to alert residents, who are asked to stay inside during spraying and keep pets inside or in the backyard. Spray area details are below, maps are included.

To prevent mosquito bites and reduce mosquito habitats, officials recommend the following:

• Apply repellants to skin often; these can include lotions, liquids or sprays. The CDC recommends the use of repellants that contain DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane 3, 8-diol, and IR3535. The duration of protection varies by repellant; read labels on products to determine when reapplications are necessary for optimal protection.
• Wear long, loose and light-colored shirts and pants and wear socks.
• Treat clothing with permethrin or purchase pretreated permethrin clothing.
• Dispose of, regularly empty, or turn over any water-holding containers on your property such as tires, cans, flower pots, children’s toys or trash cans.
• To prevent breeding in large water-holding devices, including bird baths or garden pools, use larvicides such as mosquito torpedoes or mosquito dunks. If used properly, larvicides will not harm animals.
• More tips can be found at: http://www.knoxcounty.org/health/mosquitoes.php

South Chapman Highway Spray Area:

Arthur Harmon Road; Crossfield Drive; Konda Drive; Karla Drive; Kimberlin Heights Road; Henry Haynes Road to Babs Road; Babs Road; West Marine Road to Babs Road; and Twin Leaf Lane will be treated Thursday. Follow-up spraying will be conducted Thursday, Sept. 14, weather permitting.

West Hills Spray Area:

Winston Road north of Interstate 40 to Corteland Drive; Corteland Drive between Bennington Drive and Chesterfield Drive; Chesterfield Drive between Bennington Drive and Corteland Drive; Bennington Drive east of Corteland Drive; Churchill Road; Sheffield Drive west of Kennon Road; Vanosdale Road; Shadycrest Drive; Westridge Drive; Kennon Park Lane; Portsmouth Road; Sutton Lane; Somerset Road; Manderly Way; West Hills Road between Stockton Drive and Sheffield Drive; and the areas around West Hills Elementary School and the Westside YMCA will be treatedThursday. Follow-up spraying is scheduled for Thursday, September 14, weather permitting.

To reduce the risk of mosquito-borne disease, KCHD conducts a West Nile virus control program during the summer and fall months. As the weather warms each spring, public health professionals begin a weekly process of trapping and testing mosquitoes for WNV, a mosquito-borne disease which can infect humans, horses and birds. From March until the first frost, KCHD also uses larvicides in areas with standing water to prevent mosquito proliferation. These efforts are in addition to KCHD’s work to assess and monitor for Zika virus disease. More information is available by calling 865-215-5200 or visitingwww.knoxcounty.org/health.