Bergen County is spraying for mosquitoes in four more towns

Bergen County will spray for mosquitoes in four local towns in the next week, beginning with Fair Lawn in the the early morning hours on Thursday.

The truck-mounted spraying mission plans to tackle both adult mosquitoes and larvae by using two pesticides, Duet adulticide and VectoBac WDG larvicide, between the hours of 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. in Fair Lawn, weather permitting. The rain date for the operation is Aug. 19.

The upcoming spraying schedule , all scheduled for 3 to 6 a.m., includes:

• Bergenfield, Aug. 16 (rain date Aug. 17)
• Glen Rock, Aug. 20 (rain date Aug. 22)
• Elmwood Park, Aug. 21 (rain date, Aug. 23)

The county has already sprayed in 15 other Bergen communities. Those who wish to see which areas of upcoming towns will be sprayed can find it on a Google map posted by the county .

State health officials announced in late July that at least three people in New Jersey had been infected this summer with West Nile virus , which is spread by mosquitoes. The virus has been circulating much earlier than usual this year, due in part to a rainy spring followed by a very warm start to summer, which provided the perfect conditions for mosquitoes to reproduce.

Precautions to take during mosquito spraying

The county has listed several measures residents can take to reduce their exposure to the spraying, including limiting time spent outside during the treatment and moving pets, pet food and water dishes inside before the application.

Officials also recommend bringing clothing and children’s toys inside, remaining indoors with windows closed, making sure air conditioners are on non-vent (closed to the outside air) and turning off window fans.

More: First cases of West Nile virus this year are among the earliest ever in NJ

Residents are also asked to avoid direct contact with surfaces that are still wet from the spraying and to not let children play in the areas that have been sprayed until it's completely dry, which takes about an hour.

If someone does remain outside during the spraying, the Bergen County Mosquito Control Division recommends avoiding eye and skin contact with the spray and immediately flushing and rinsing with water if contact is made.

For more information, contact Mosquito Control at 201-634-2880 or the Bergen County Department of Health Services at 201-634-2600.

Stephanie Noda is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: noda@northjersey.com

Twitter: @snoda11

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Bergen County is spraying for mosquitoes in four more towns