A wet spring means lots of standing water, which makes a prime breeding ground for mosquitoes. And a routine weekly test confirmed West Nile Virus in South Knoxville mosquitoes this week. It's the first positive report of West Nile Virus in mosquitoes for Knox County.
“To date, Knox County has had no confirmed cases of West Nile Virus in humans,” said Knox County Health Department Environmental Health Director Ronnie Nease. “By spraying to reduce the population of mosquitoes, we hope to reduce the potential of mosquito-to-human transmission,” he says.
The Knox County Health Department will spray for mosquitoes tonight, June 13, between 9 p.m. and midnight in the Chapman Highway area. Signs have been posted in affected neighborhoods and the health department is asking residents to stay inside and keep pets inside or in the backyard.
Spray areas include Arthur Harmon Road, Crossfield Drive, Konda Drive, Karla Drive, Kimberlin Heights Road and Twin Leaf Lane.