West Nile Virus Found in Rockaway Township Mosquito Pool
August 16, 2018
During routine testing, the Morris County Division of Mosquito Control found one mosquito pool positive for West Nile Virus in Rockaway Township. The positive mosquito pool was detected at Peterson Field on Fleetwood Drive.
The Division of Mosquito Control will be treating this non-residential area with a resmethrin-based insecticide that is recognized as an effective solution for mosquito control. The insecticide will be applied during the morning hours, and the insecticide residual is known to dissipate within one hour.
Though 284 mosquito pools have tested positive for West Nile Virus throughout New Jersey in 2018, there has only been one human case of the disease this year. Residents are reminded to take precautions to reduce the risk of mosquito bites. Window and door screens should be repaired as necessary, and outdoor activities should be minimized at dawn, dusk and evening hours. Residents should wear long shirts and pants when outdoors and insect repellant may be sprayed on clothing and exposed skin in accordance with labeling instructions. Standing water should be eliminated in flowerpots, buckets, tires, pools, playground equipment, etc., and birdbaths should be emptied and refilled weekly.
Rockaway Township residents may call the Division of Health at 973-983-2848 with any questions regarding West Nile Virus. Residents should report mosquito problems and standing water to the Morris County Division of Mosquito Control at 973-285-6450. For information about the Division of Mosquito Control and its efforts to prevent mosquito activity in our community, please check its website, which also includes frequent updates regarding where and when mosquito spraying will take place:
www.morriscountynj.gov/mosquito/
For more information regarding West Nile Virus and mosquito control, please check the following websites:
www.cdc.gov/westnile/faq/genQuestions.html
www.morriscountynj.gov/mosquito/diseases/
