(LAGRANGE) – Spraying for mosquitoes will be taking place Tuesday and Wednesday in LaGrange County.

The LaGrange County Health Department and the Indiana Department of Health have been working together to monitor Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus activity in LaGrange County. So far, two horses in the west side of LaGrange County have tested positive for EEE. The Indiana Board of Animal Health suspects three other horses in the county have the virus.

Due to the detection of EEE virus activity in LaGrange County, the LaGrange County Commission decided to perform targeted mosquito control utilizing aerial spraying to help protect residents from the EEE virus. While rare, the EEE virus can cause serious illness in humans and is fatal in about one-third of the people who become infected.

The area to be targeted for spraying includes the areas west of 600 East, and from 800 South to 800 North. Mosquito control professionals will apply an approved pesticide, Dibrom, using an ultra-low volume spray. ULV sprayers dispense very fine aerosol droplets that stay suspended in the air and will kill adult mosquitoes on contact.

The aerial spraying is scheduled for Tuesday night, September 22 as the primary target time, and Wednesday, September 23, as a backup day.

While the spraying is expected to kill 90 percent of mosquitoes, LaGrange County residents are urged to continue to take precautions until the first hard freeze. That includes avoiding areas where mosquitoes breed; staying indoors when mosquitoes are active; and utilizing an EPA registered insect repellent. Also, please empty containers holding water, keep overgrown vegetation mowed and maintain screens in doorways and windows.