After West Nile case, Horry to spray parts of Little River, Socastee for mosquitoes
Following an Horry County resident testing positive for West Nile virus, a mosquito-spread illness, county officials said Monday that they plan to conduct aerial sprays to kill the insects in Little River, Socastee and Burgess.
County officials first announced that they intended to conduct aerial spraying targeting mosquitoes last week, and a spokesperson said it was part of regular maintenance. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control later announced that a person in the Pee Dee region had tested positive for West Nile virus, the first such case in the state this year. Horry County Council member Al Allen, whose aviation company has been contracted to conduct the spraying, confirmed the person who tested positive lived in Horry County.
It’s not known where the person who tested positive for the virus lives. West Nile virus can’t be transmitted between humans via coughing and sneezing, but can be transmitted via blood.
Horry County maintains a multi-year contract with Allen Aviation worth $77,000 to conduct occasional aerial spraying for mosquitoes, according to state ethics forms.
In the Little River area, the county plans to target Rum Bluff Blvd., Highway 90, N. Highway 57, and Highway 179. The county plans to spray on Thursday, Aug. 19.
Horry County conducts aerial spraying 30 minutes prior to sunset and 30 minutes after sunset, if weather permits.
If weather does not permit, the county will spray those areas on Monday, August 23.
In the Socastee area, the county plans to target Folly Road, Palmetto Pointe Blvd., Indigo Club Drive and Bay Road. The county plans to spray there on Friday, August 20, weather permitting.
The make-up day for the Socastee-area spraying is Tuesday, August 24.
Residents in the unincorporated areas may request that the county spray additional areas for mosquitoes by contacting the Horry County Road & Drainage hotline at 843-381-8000 or via the online form found on the county’s website.
County officials say the chemicals used for mosquito control spraying are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and “pose minimal risk to humans or animals.” The county advises residents with asthma or other respiratory illness to stay indoors and close windows and doors during spraying to avoid possible irritation. In addition, the county advises that residents wash, scrub or peel all homegrown fruits and vegetables before eating.
For residents who keep bees, the county asks them to contact Horry County Stormwater to identify the location of their colonies. Beekeepers can submit the location of your hive on the county’s website, here.
Risks of West Nile virus to humans
Last week, DHEC officials noted that people contracting West Nile virus from mosquito bites was not common, but happens occasionally in South Carolina’s humid climate. Three mosquitoes tested positive for carrying the virus in addition to the Horry County resident.
“Identifying mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus in our state is not uncommon,” Dr. Chris Evans, the state public health entomologist, said in a statement. “A positive identification should serve as a reminder of the importance of preventing mosquito bites.”
Most people who test positive for West Nile virus do not get sick, DHEC officials said in a Friday statement. About 20% of people who test positive may develop a fever with other symptoms such as headaches, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rashes. People with those symptoms generally recover completely, DHEC said, though fatigue and weakness may last for weeks or months.
About 0.7% of people who test positive for West Nile virus develop a serious neurological illness such as encephalitis or meningitis, which is inflammation of the brain or surrounding tissues. The symptoms of neurological illness can include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, tremors, seizures, or paralysis, DHEC said.
“Most people infected with West Nile virus have no symptoms,” Dr. Linda Bell, South Carolina’s state epidemiologist, said in a statement. “The risk of serious illness such as encephalitis, a potentially fatal inflammation of the brain, occurs in less than one percent of people infected.”
How to stay safe
Since mosquitoes in the region have tested positive for West Nile virus, DHEC recommended the following safety measures to stay safe:
- Eliminate sources of still, standing water on property, including those in gutters, buckets, flowerpots, birdbaths, old car tires, pet drinking bowls and on top of pool covers.
- Use insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, IR3535, or 2-undecanone. Such repellents can keep mosquitoes from biting.
- Wear light-colored clothing to reduce the risk of bites.
- Ensure doors and windows have tight screens to keep mosquitoes out of the home.
Recent rainy weather
In recent weeks, Horry County has experienced the type of wet, humid weather that can allow mosquitoes to thrive.
According to data from the National Weather Service’s station in North Myrtle Beach, 17 days of July experienced some rain, with thunderstorms occurring on 14 of those days. A total of 6.4 inches of rain was recorded. According to the NWS’ station in Florence, 16 days of July experienced some rain, with thunderstorms occurring on 13 of those days. That station recorded 5.7 inches of precipitation.
Horry County spokesperson Thomas Bell said last week that the county attempts to spray for mosquitoes regularly to keep the population in check, and that recent rains have made doing so more difficult. He said county officials hope a mid-August dry spell will allow the sprays to occur.
“They try to do the spraying regularly to keep down on the number of mosquitoes,” he said.
This story was originally published August 16, 2021 at 2:40 PM.
