The Santa Clara County Vector Control has scheduled mosquito fogging in parts of Mountain View and Sunnyvale on Tuesday, Aug. 19, from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. in an effort to prevent West Nile virus infections in people.
The effort comes after mosquitoes infected with the virus were collected from the zip codes 94086, 94087, 94040 and 94041. The fogging area lies between Highway 237 and Central Expressway to the north; W. Remington Drive to the south; Mathilda Avenue, S. Taaffe Street and Spinosa Drive to the east; and Highway 85 to the west.
Noor Tietze, Vector Control’s scientific and technical services manager, said that there were reports of dead birds within the area — testing found that the birds were infected with West Nile Virus. Vector Control set up mosquito traps around the area and confirmed that there were mosquitoes infected with the virus, according to Tietze.
According to Tietze, the fogging treatment will take place at night because mosquitoes are most active at that time. At night, traffic is lighter, fewer people are out and bees are more likely to be in hives, Tietze said.
Tietze said that the county vector control uses five pick-up trucks for the fogging treatment. According to Tietze, four trucks use an electric motor and one truck uses a gas powered spray machine to deliver the treatment.
According to Tietze, the fogging treatment consists of the pesticide Zenivez and is not toxic to people.
Tietze said that most people infected with West Nile virus nationwide do not report symptoms. However, some people infected with the virus do experience fevers and some may suffer serious illness or death.
Tietze said that he predicts some people in Santa Clara County will be infected with West Nile before October, when the season generally ends, according to Tietze.
According to the California Department of Public Health’s website, 560 birds have been reported killed by West Nile virus this year. Tietze said that 24 birds from Mountain View been confirmed dead from the virus as of Tuesday, Aug. 12 and that crows constitute a majority of the dead birds.
Tietze said the fogging treatment will be postponed if the wind and weather conditions are not optimal.
To contact the Santa Clara County Vector Control regarding mosquitoes, call 408-918-4770 or go to www.sccgov.org/sites/vector. For more information about the fogging, call 800-314-2427.
