Mosquito Abatement District Spraying In Oak Lawn Thursday Evening

The Cook County Mosquito Abatement District will be spraying north of 103rd Street in Oak Lawn on Thursday (Aug. 16) from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m., Oak Lawn Village Manager Larry Deetjen said.

Last night (Wednesday), the village was sprayed for mosquitoes south of 103rd Street.

You may want to close your windows, turn off your air-conditioner (or set it on interior air circulation) and cover your ornamental fish ponds. It's also a good idea to put children's toys into the garage while the spraying is taking place, or blasting them with the hose tomorrow morning before the kids play with them.

The amount of insecticide is small compared to the area treated, minimizing the exposre and risks to people and the environment. The mount of USEPA-approved insecticide is small compared to the area treated, usually about 3 to 5 ounces per acre.

Persons with health concerns may want to stay inside this evening.  

The unusually hot and dry summer weather has caused an uptick in reported cases of the West Nile Virus, which can cause flu-like symptoms such as fever, body aches, headache, vomitting, diarrhea or rash.

Less than 1 percent of those infected will develop a serious neurological illiness that could possibly lead to death.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has confirmed 11 human cases of West Nile around the state. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show 693 human cases nationwide, including 26 deaths, the Chicago Tribune reported.

More information about mosquito spraying and fogging, visit the Illinois Department of Public Health website.