Hollywood, MD – The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) announced Tuesday, July 24, that the first West Nile Virus-positive mosquito pool of 2018 was found in the Riverdale Park area of Prince George’s County.
The MDA plans to control this pool by utilizing “Ultra-Low Volume (ULV) truck-based spraying to control adult mosquitoes within a ¾-mile radius of the positive sample. This includes parts of Riverdale Park, Hyattsville, Edmonston and Rogers Heights.” They added that most of the area was previously treated by routine mosquito control efforts.
The mosquitos that tested positive were collected from the Riverdale Park area July 11. Secretary of Agriculture Joe Bartenfelder, stated, “We know that West Nile virus may be present throughout Maryland. It typically appears at this time in the summer, so we are not surprised with this positive finding.” He also advised that all Maryland residents continue “protecting themselves against mosquito bites” and that they should “conduct backyard mosquito control activities.”
The MDA added in their release that “approximately 20 percent of people infected with West Nile virus will develop West Nile fever,” and that “less than one percent” of those bitten will “develop a more severe form of the disease.” Individuals with “already compromised immune systems” or who are over 60 are among those “most at risk” for the more severe disease.
The remaining area is expected to be treated Thursday evening, weather permitting.
For more information please visit the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s website.
Link to MDA: http://mda.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx