Health Officials Announce Maryland Department of Agriculture Enhanced Mosquito Control Spraying to Take Place in Gaithersburg September 1

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, August 31, 2016

County health officials announced today that the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Mosquito Control Program will do truck-mounted mosquito control spraying on Thursday evening, September 1, in the Strawberry Knolls area of Gaithersburg, between Goshen Road and Pintail Lane, weather permitting.  Spraying will begin at or after 7:30 p.m.

 

Those houses in the affected spray area will be notified in a variety of ways:

• Reverse 911 calls will be made to landline telephones in the affected area.

• Alert Montgomery messages will be sent to those in the affected area via text message or email, depending on the delivery method users have registered for. 

• Information will be posted on the County’s website and messages will be sent out via social media.

   

The State of Maryland, in cooperation with the health departments of the 24 jurisdictions in the state. has initiated an enhanced mosquito prevention and control program this year due to public health concerns such as West Nile virus and Zika virus.  Because of the need to avert a possible public health threat and to prevent serious birth defects associated with mosquito-borne viruses, existing pesticide exemptions that individuals may have registered for with MDA are suspended.

 

The State of Maryland now has 77 travel-associated cases of Zika.  The truck-mounted spraying is activated by one of three conditions:

 

1. The identification of the Aedes Aegypti mosquito in our area.  The Aegypti mosquito is the primary carrier of the Zika virus;

2. An overabundance of Aedes Albopictus (Asian Tiger) mosquito that is thought to possibly be a carrier of the Zika virus;

3. A travel-associated human case of Zika in which the individual has active infection.

Montgomery County developed a new website (www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mosquito) during the spring which includes information about mosquitoes, West Nile and Zika virus and provides personal protection information as well as important information on how to rid one’s yard and surroundings of potential mosquito breeding sites.

 

Specific information on the MDA’s mosquito control program, including information on products used, can be found at http://mda.maryland.gov/plants-pests/Pages/insecticides_for_mosquito_control_MD.aspx 

 

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Release ID: 16-439
Media Contact: Mary Anderson 240-777-6534