IRRIGON, Ore.-West Nile Virus has been detected in mosquitoes tested in Morrow County and the North Morrow Vector Control District (NMVCD) will conduct aerial spraying on September 19.
The NMVCD routinely ships mosquitoes in pools of 10 to 50 to Oregon State University’s Veterinarian Diagnostic Laboratory to be tested for West Nile, and the positive test came from a pool of Culex pipiens mosquitoes trapped about a mile south of Irrigon on September 9, according to Greg Barron, NMVCD Manager.
Since the positive test, NMVCD ultra-low volume (ULV) trucks have fogged the area with insecticide and trapped for mosquitoes again.
“We were unable to trap enough Culex mosquitoes to pool another sample for this week at that site, which is a good thing,” said Barron. “This tells us that the Culex disease-transmitting mosquitoes are declining in population for the season due to our mosquito control activities and cooler temps at night.”
However, the risk of mosquitoes for Northern Oregon is not over, as a swarm of 100,000 Aedes vexans mosquitoes, is reportedly headed for the Beaver State.
The mosquitoes are coming from the Whitcomb Island and Paterson Slough areas on the Washington side of the Columbia River, due to ideal conditions created by high water levels below McNary Dam.
“Aedes vexans are strong fliers and can fly up to 30 miles unaided by wind currents,” said Barron. “Aedes, unlike Culex, lay their eggs on dry land and vegetation and can lay dormant for up to 30 years until they come in contact with water.”
The NMVCD has been trapping about 3,000 to 6,000 mosquitoes per trap since the hatch and is in the process of larviciding (the application of applying insecticides that target mosquito larvae) throughout the district, on the ground, by drone and helicopter.
On September 19, the NMVCD will apply Naled (an insecticide primarily used to control adult mosquitoes) from about 1,000 feet up, over the entire district, including Irrigon and Boardman, for a total of about 15,360 acres. Spraying will not be done over the football game in Irrigon or over any organic crops, according to the NMVCD.
The spraying is scheduled to start at dusk and people are advised to stay indoors during the spraying.
West Nile is spread to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes, and health officials are urging Morrow County residents to take precautions to prevent bites, including wearing long sleeves and pants, staying indoors at dusk, and using mosquito repellants.
My family and I have dozens of bites combined. We knew nothing about this at all! Where are the public service warnings ⚠️ we live in irrigon and the only way I even found this put is hearing a plane zooming over our home 5 times so I googled it, what should we do about all the bites?