The Onondaga County Health Department is planning to conduct a second round of aerial spraying for mosquitos on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 of the Cicero Swamp and immediate surrounding areas.  Onondaga County Health Commissioner, Indu Gupta, MD, MPH explained, “Additional mosquito pools were found positive for the Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV) in  traps collected from Taft Road and Island Road, both in the town of Cicero. This brings a total of four mosquito pools testing positive for EEEV.   Due to these findings, and because the mosquito counts continue to be extremely  high, the Health Department has decided to  conduct a  second round of aerial spraying as a  measure to help further reduce the number of mosquitos and to ultimately reduce the risk of mosquito borne illness.”   The Health Department continues to reinforce the importance of taking personal protection measures against being bitten by mosquitoes throughout the summer season.

Aerial spraying of the Cicero Swamp and the immediate surrounding areas will occur on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 between 7:30 pm and 10:00 pm weather permitting. Residents will be notified about the spraying through the local media and through the Reverse 911 emergency notification system.
The designated spray areas are generally bounded on the north by Route 31, on the west by Northern Boulevard, on the south by Taft Road, and on the east by the county line (Chittenango Creek).  Roads included in this area are:  all or parts of Route 298, Bull Street, Eastwood Road, Island Road, Cicero Center Road, Fergerson Road, Ferstler Road, and Oxbow Road. To view a map of the spraying area, visit: /health/documents/SprayMapCicero.pdf
The pesticide that will be used for the aerial spraying is Duet. This pesticide is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency and the New York State Division of Environmental Conservation for this use. A copy of the pesticide label can be found on the Onondaga County website at /health/documents/DuetLabel.pdf. A written copy of the label can be provided by calling 435-1649.
If you live in the spray area, during spraying it is recommended that you:

• Stay indoors and keep your windows closed for one hour after the area has been sprayed.
• Keep your pets indoors if possible.
• Set your window air conditioners to circulate indoor air.  It is safe to use your central air conditioning.
• Remove children’s toys that are outdoors, any outdoor furniture, and clothes from outdoor clotheslines.
• If you are driving during the spraying, close your car windows and car vents.
• After the spraying, if toys or clothes have been left outdoors, wash each thoroughly with soap and water before using and launder clothes before wearing. Rinse garden vegetables before eating.

For information and “Frequently Asked Questions” about aerial mosquito spraying and/or personal protection measures contact the Onondaga County Health Department, Division of Environmental Health at 435-1649 and visit ongov.net/health/env/mosquitoes.html.