County to spray for mosquitos for 2nd time

Laurens County Emergency Services will spray for mosquitos in the southwest region of the county for a second time tonight (Oct. 26).

The county sprayed in that area, which includes parts of Waterloo and Ware Shoals, after the first confirmed case of West Nile Virus in Laurens County was reported two weeks ago.

According to Emergency Services Director Joey Avery, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) recommended the second spraying.

“This spraying will be conducted out of caution and concern for the public safety,” Avery said in a text.

County officials said earlier that they could spray in the area as many as three times.

Gregory Pest Control has been contracted by the county to spray in the area and are using a truck with aerial sprayers attached.

Residents are encouraged to eliminate potential mosquito breeding grounds on their properties, including pools of stagnate water such as puddles and trash that can trap water.

Residents with breathing problems in the areas being sprayed are urged to stay indoors during the spray.

Avery said at an earlier press conference that the case reported is of a single individual. West Nile is not contagious and is carried almost exclusively by mosquitos.

According to the Center for Disease Control, 70-80 percent of people who become infected with West Nile do not develop any symptoms at all. Less than 1 percent of people infected develop serious neurological illness such as encephalitis or meningitis.