Due to rain and wind, follow-up mosquito spraying originally scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 20 was postponed. It has since been rescheduled for Thursday, Oct. 27. Weather conditions such as rain, high winds, and temperatures near or below 55 degrees can compromise the effectiveness of the spray.

“We’ll have to watch the weather closely this Thursday to make sure conditions are suitable for spraying,” said Knox County Health Department (KCHD) Environmental Health Director Ronnie Nease. “It’s important for the public to know that even though fall weather is here, mosquitoes will still be active until we have our first good frost.”

KCHD will spray for mosquitoes in the West Emory Road area of Powell on Thursday, Oct. 27 between 9 p.m. and midnight, weather permitting, to reduce the Culex mosquito population and the risk of West Nile virus (WNV) spreading to humans. The Rocky Hill area is also scheduled for follow-up spraying on Oct. 27. 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. Both upcoming spray events are detailed below. Maps are also included. KCHD follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocol, only spraying an area when mosquitoes there test positive for WNV.

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: org/health/mosquitomonday

Thursday, Oct. 27 Spray Areas:

West Emory Road

Country Run Circle; Country Walk Drive; Sevilla Road; Mayview Drive; Madora Drive; Overton Lane; Verton Drive; Top Hat Way; Morton View Lane; Belinda Road; Betenia Road; Granville Conner Road; Windwood Drive; Windgate Court; Bellwether Way; Shady Lane; Helen Drive; Collier Road (from West Emory Road to Helen Drive); Gill Road; Bryant Terrace; Tabeel Terrace Lane; Gill Lane; Galaxy Way; Fersner Road; John Road; Sharp Road (from West Emory Road to Emerald Forest Lane); Emerald Forest Lane; Spring Street; Wells Drive; Levy Drive; Ewing Road (from Spring Street to Driftwood Drive); Brickyard Road (from Levy Drive to Powell Drive); and Commerce Road will be treated Thursday, Oct. 27, weather permitting.

Rocky Hill

Sentry Lane; Antrim Way; Red Bay Way; Tranquilla Drive; Hampson Lane; Redeemer Lane; Pinner Drive; Scottie Lane; Hawthorne Drive; Ownby Lane; Alki Lane; Dukesbury Drive; Kingsbury Drive; Queensbury Drive; Scotsbury Circle; Village Drive; Covington Drive; Wilmington Drive; and Rocky Hill Ballfields will be treated Thursday, Oct. 27, weather permitting.
To address the public health concerns caused by mosquitoes, 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, monitor and control for Zika virus disease. More information is available by calling 865-215-5093 or visiting www.knoxcounty.org/health.