Second West Nile virus case reported in Lexington. Where the city will spray next
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- Lexington confirms second West Nile virus case this year in 40505 zip code
- Health officials plan additional mosquito spraying next week using Duet
- Virus spreads via infected mosquito bites; severe cases can lead to death
More mosquito spraying in Lexington is scheduled for next week after a second case of West Nile virus was reported to the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department.
The planned mosquito spraying will occur between 3 and 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23 in the 40505 ZIP code, according to the health department. The area includes the Bryan Station neighborhood and others surrounding East New Circle Road and Loudon Avenue.
Health department officials sprayed portions of the 40505 and 40502 ZIP codes Sept. 17 after a person who contracted the virus spent time outdoors in the area. The LFCHD said it uses a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-approved spray called Duet for its mosquito treatment, a chemical that causes resting mosquitoes to fly into the air and come into contact with the spray’s mosquito-killing agent, sumithrin.
The spray has been registered as safe for outdoor residential and recreational areas and has been tested for human and animal safety, according to the health department.
Wind speeds must be below 10 mph and the temperature must be above 55 degrees Fahrenheit for spraying to occur, according to the health department. It also must not be raining or foggy. Temperatures are expected to get down to 64 degrees Monday night into Tuesday morning, but there is a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service.
West Nile virus is most commonly spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the contiguous U.S.
Most cases feature mild, flu-like symptoms, but some can become severe and result in hospitalization or death, according to the CDC. More than 1,300 people in the U.S. develop severe symptoms from the virus each year, and more than 130 die.
