In West Nile battle, Camden County targets mosquitoes

Camden County officials will take the war on the West Nile virus to the enemy Wednesday evening.

As part of efforts to combat the mosquito-borne illness, the Camden County Mosquito Commission will spray pesticides at numerous locations across the county.

Three county cases are among at least 22 across the state this year. In Pennsylvania, 20 residents have tested positive for the virus.

Camden County workers have been regularly checking several thousand suspected mosquito breeding sites across the county and are now spraying.

"Our county mosquito commission works with the Public Health Environmental Laboratories in Trenton to verify the presence of West Nile virus in their samples," said Freeholder Jeffrey Nash, liaison to the Camden County Mosquito Commission.

"When a pool tests positive for West Nile virus, the mosquito Commission returns within 24 hours to spray the area," he said. "The sprayings take place in the evening when the mosquitoes are most active."

In Audubon, workers will spray on Paris Avenue, and Carlisle, Princeton, Amherst, and Bringhurst Roads.

In Barrington, workers will concentrate the spraying on Dubois, Charles, Austin, 5th, 4th, 3rd, Thomas, Albany, Kingston, Reading, Albertson, and Moore Avenues.

In Camden, they'll focus on Sayres Avenue, Carl Miller Boulevard, and Browning, Dayton, Decatur, Sheridan, Jackson, Norris, Cope, Pershing, and Davis Streets.

In Collingswood, they'll spray Lees Lane, Park, Stokes, Linwood, Belmont, Lees, Conrad, Dayton, Ogden, Locust, Elgin, Toledo, Emerald, Virginia, Highland, Melrose, and Utica Avenues.

In Haddon Township, the efforts will be directed to Center Street and King, Tatem, Woodlawn, Lincoln, Conger, Laurel, Burwood, Morgan, Gullford, Harding, King, and New Jersey Avenues.

In Haddonfield, spraying will take place on Grove Street, Hopkins Lane, Somerset Drive, and Beechwood, Bryn Mawr, Maple, Narberth, Hawthorne, Birchwood, and Merion Avenues.

The main route of human infection with West Nile virus is through the bite of an infected mosquito, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds. Individuals more than 50 years old are more likely to develop serious symptoms of West Nile virus, and should take special care to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

Residents should check their property for any object that holds water for more than a few days. All preadult mosquito stages must be in stagnant water in order to develop into adult mosquitoes.

"The Camden County Mosquito Commission encourages residents to continue to safeguard against the pests," said Nash. "While the chance of becoming ill is relatively small, there are things you can do to protect yourself and your family."

For more information, or to report a problem, contact the Camden County Mosquito Commission at 856-566-2945, or skeeters@camdencounty.com.