The County of Santa Clara Vector Control District will spray parts of Sunnyvale on Thursday, Aug. 17 for mosquitoes. Vector Control says West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes were located in and around the zip codes 94086 and 94087. Spraying will begin at 10 p.m. and conclude a few hours later.
This is the second scheduled spraying in the City of Sunnyvale this summer. Vector Control sprayed another area of Sunnyvale on Aug. 3.
Spraying for West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes is an annual practice to help manage the local mosquito population and prevent the spread of the West Nile virus. Vector Control says it usually tries to prevent mosquitoes from reaching the adult biting stage by proactively targeting immature stages of mosquitoes found in standing water. However, when a mosquito with West Nile virus (WNV) is detected, the District takes the added step of conducting adult mosquito control treatments.
It is critical that the District conduct mosquito control treatments upon finding a positive mosquito. Any delay in the application would present an imminent threat to public health and safety. This could expose the public to potential vector-borne injury, or even death. The treatments reduce the mosquito population in the area, which decreases the risk of a WNV-human infection.
It is normal to see an increase in West Nile virus during the summer and early fall because mosquitoes thrive in warm weather. The District has a dedicated surveillance program to detect the presence of diseases like West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis and western equine encephalitis, all of which are transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes. The data collected through surveillance is used to predict locations that are more likely to have these disease-transmitting mosquitoes.
The District has been conducting truck-mounted treatments regularly since 2003 to successfully reduce WNV-transmitting mosquito populations.
Notice is being sent directly to the public in the treatment ZIP codes through AlertSCC, email to residents registered through the Registrar of Voters in specific precincts, and to those who subscribe to Nextdoor. General notice is provided on various social media platforms – including Facebook, Instagramand Twitter (@SCCVCD) – and to those subscribed to the District’s mosquito treatment notifications.
Vector Control staff are available to answer questions from the public, Monday–Friday, on the agency’s dedicated West Nile Virus Hotline at (408) 282-3114, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Questions can also be submitted by email to vectorinfo@cep.sccgov.org.
Details of Spraying in Sunnyvale
Treatment date: Thursday, Aug. 17, around 10 p.m., for approximately four hours
Supervisorial districts: District 3
Cities: Sunnyvale
ZIP codes affected: 94086 and 94087
Centered at: Ithaca Avenue and Pippin Avenue
Bordered by:
North – West Iowa Avenue
East – South Mathilda Avenue and Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road
South – West Fremont Avenue, Astoria Drive and Cascade Drive
West – Highway 85, South Bernardo Avenue and Knickerbocker Drive
Interactive map: https://arcg.is/0ba5Or
There is no need to relocate during the treatment. Mosquito treatments pose minimal risk to people, pets, animals and the environment when applied by a licensed vector control professional following label instruction. Those who would like to take extra precautions can keep family members and pets inside during the approximately four-hour treatment, with windows and doors shut. In the morning, the insecticide quickly breaks down when exposed to sunlight. Since the District applies insecticides at ultra-low volume (ULV), individuals aren’t likely to breathe or touch anything that has enough insecticide on it to be harmful. All control materials used in our mosquito control program are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for use in public areas and are widely used by vector control agencies throughout California.
For more information on the products used for this adult mosquito control treatment, including the safety data sheet, insecticide label and a list of our most frequently asked questions, visit our website at www.sccvector.org. For additional information on adulticides, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at www.cdc.gov. For information on West Nile virus activity in California, go to www.westnile.ca.gov.
It would be appreciated to have received a canvassing of announcements instead of getting cornered and sprayed on with my 7lb dog! Do you think that is right? Am I just collateral damage if it harms me and my health be compromised?
We were caught mid block by a truck and sprayed all over! How are you canvassing the news directly? Don’t deny this could pose a health risk.
Every resident impacted should be notified! I received no notice! I should have been given the opportunity to close my windows. You put me and my cat at risk!