Aerial Spraying Wednesday For West Nile Virus In Davis, Woodland

Aerial spraying for West Nile virus is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday nights over portions of Davis and Woodland in Yolo County.

Luz Maria Rodriguez, with the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District, said Monday that mosquito samples from the areas have shown high infection rates and dead birds have tested positive for West Nile virus.

Rodriguez said the spraying will happen from 8 p.m. to midnight both evenings.

“The Davis block is approximately 20,000 acres and the Woodland block is approximately 12,000 acres,” said Rodriguez. “So it will be aerial spraying over both cities as well as the agricultural areas."

She said the boundaries of the Davis area are from County Road 29 on the north, down to Levee Road on the south and from County Road 98 on the west to County Road 105 on the east. For Woodland, the boundaries are from Churchill Downs Avenue on the north, to County Road 25A on the south and from County Road 97 on the west to County Road 102 on the east.

Rodriguez said the areas will be sprayed using an insecticide called Trumpet.

"This is a product that has been approved for use for mosquito control and when it's applied in accordance to the label, the product kills the mosquitoes without posting any risks to human health or to the environment,” she said.

In Yolo County, she said 132 mosquito samples and 26 dead birds have tested positive for West Nile so far this year. In Sacramento County, Rodriquez said 225 mosquito samples and 178 dead birds have tested positive.

Most people (70-80%) who become infected with West Nile virus do not develop any symptoms, and about 1-in-5 people who are infected develop a fever with other symptoms including headache, joint pains or nausea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC said most people with this type of West Nile virus disease recover completely, but fatigue and weakness can last for weeks or months.