West Nile Virus Found In Montgomery Twp., Spraying Scheduled

MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, PA — Montgomery Township is the latest community in Montgomery County that will be sprayed with chemicals after mosquito samples tested positive for West Nile Virus, county officials said.

Specifically, the spraying will target Windlestrae Park.

Montgomery Township follows Whitpain, Abington, Pottstown as communities to receive treatment in the past week as state officials say the risk of West Nile is currently "very high" in most counties in Pennsylvania.

The spraying will be held on Thursday, Aug. 28 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

"Residents within the spray area should consider remaining indoors, closing windows, and turning off ventilation systems that draw outside air for the duration of the spray plus 30 minutes afterward," county health officials said.

A map of the impacted area is below:

The Montgomery County Office of Public Health offers the following tips to stay safe and to eliminate mosquito breeding areas:

• Wear protective clothing such as long pants, long sleeve shirts, and socks
• Spray permethrin, an insecticide product, on clothing, shoes and gear, but not directly on your skin
• Mosquitoes will breed in any stagnant water that stands for five or more days, so it's important to identify and eliminate all sources of standing water
• Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic posts or similar water holding containers
• Pay special attention to discarded tires that may have collected water
• Drill holes in the bottom of recycling container that are left outdoors
• Have clogged roof gutters cleaned on an annual basis, particularly if the leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to block drains
• Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use
• Turn over wheelbarrows and do not allow water to stagnate in birdbaths
• Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish
• Keep swimming pools clean and chlorinated as a swimming pool that is left untended becomes a source of mosquito breeding

A rain date of Sept. 4 has been set for the Montgomery Township spraying.