Eatontown: West Nile Virus detected, spraying scheduled for Wednesday

Amanda Oglesby, Asbury Park Press
·2 min read

EATONTOWN — The Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division will spray pesticides early Wednesday morning in an Eatontown neighborhood in order to kill mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus, according to county officials.

Mosquito control officials discovered the virus near a neighborhood east of Route 18, west of Grant Avenue and north of Wyckoff Road, according to a news release from Monmouth County officials.

Mosquito Control employees will use trucks to spray “Duet Dual-Action,” a pyrethroid-based manmade insecticide, to the area between 4 and 6 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10. The pesticide will be applied at a "fraction of an ounce per acre," Monmouth County officials said.

While West Nile Virus can cause mild, flu-like symptoms, it can be life-threatening in people over age 50 or with weakened immune systems, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. In severe cases, the virus can cause high fever, stiff neck and swelling of the brain, according to the department.

In 2020, West Nile Virus was responsible for 66 deaths across the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

As of July 30, no human cases of West Nile Virus had been reported this year in New Jersey, according to the state health department. In 2021, the department reported 36 human cases of the virus across the state.

Rutgers University recommends pyrethroid insecticides for mosquito control in New Jersey, according to Monmouth County officials. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s considers the pesticide's active ingredient to be less toxic to humans than older insecticide alternatives.

"We encourage our residents to protect themselves from mosquito and mosquito-borne illnesses by using EPA registered repellents, limiting outdoor activities at dusk and dawn and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when possible," Monmouth County Commissioner Deputy Director Susan M. Kiley said in the news release.

Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers Brick, Barnegat and Lacey townships as well as the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than a decade. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, aoglesby@gannettnj.com or 732-557-5701.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: West Nile Virus discovered in Eatontown, mosquito spraying scheduled