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RI DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT West Nile Virus Bulletin North Smithfield, Smithfield, Lincoln, Cumberland and North Kingstown Friday - September 15, 2000 - 6:00 P.M. This is an update on the state's West Nile Virus response plan. Low level ground spraying will take place in two areas- North Smithfield, Smithfield, Lincoln,and Cumberland: The treatment area includes portions of Lincoln, including the villages of Mannville and Albion between Route 146 and the Blackstone River, the area north of Route 116 and the northeastern corner of Limerock in the vicinity of the Industrial Park; a small section of Cumberland in the Cumberland Hill section including the end of Farm Drive and also including Apache Lane, Secluded Court, Plantation Drive, and the connecting portion of Farm Drive; the northeastern corner of Smithfield including Lydia Ann Road, West Reservoir and Harris Roads north of George Washington Highway and Rocky Hill Road; and in North Smithfield, Reservoir Road, the portion of Rocky Hill Road from Cranberry Lane to the Smithfield line, Iron Mine Hill Road from Ironwoods Golf Practice Center to Route 146, Old Sayles Hill Road, Chamberlain Court, Woodland Road, Sayles Hill Road to the Lincoln Line, Old Smithfiled Road, St. Jude Street and Eddie Dowling Highway from the 146/146A interchange south to the Lincoln line. North Kingstown: Spraying in North Kingstown will focus on the Wickford Village, Belleville, Allentown and Hamilton sections of town in the area north of 138 and east of Route 4. Residents can call the following local numbers, or check the following websites, for information on spraying in their area: North Smithfield - 767-2206 Media contact at DEM is Sally Spadaro, 222-4700 ext. 2426, pager 482-4835. DEM will issue additional bulletins on an as needed basis to report on new information. The RI Departments of Health and Environmental Management are responding in accordance with their joint Response Protocol for Mosquito-Borne Diseases (including Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus). This Protocol also governs state-local coordination on prevention, preparedness and response. The Protocol is posted on the DEM web page (see below). More details follow below. Key phone numbers for obtaining or reporting information are as follows:
The above telephone lines are normally manned during normal business hours during the week. The DEM Mosquito Information line will be manned extended hours on Sunday and Monday, September 17 and 18. In night or weekend emergency situations, HEALTH can be reached at 272-5952 and DEM can be reached at 1-401-222-3070. Information can also be found on the HEALTH and DEM websites www.health.state.ri.us and/or www.dem.state.ri.us.Status of Incident- North Smithfield, Smithfield, Lincoln and Cumberland: The Department of Environmental Management today, Friday September 15 announced the first finding of West Nile Virus in North Smithfield. The positive result came from a crow that was collected from a farm near the Woonsocket Reservoir North Smithfield on September 10. The bird was tested at the University of Rhode Island's Mosquito Virus Testing Laboratory. Confirmatory test results were received by DEM at 5:30 p.m. Friday evening. Status of Incident- North Kingstown: The Department of Environmental Management, Friday September 15 announced the second finding of West Nile Virus in North Kingstown. The positive result came from a crow that was collected from Earle Drive in the Hamilton neighborhood of North Kingstown on September 9. The bird was tested at the University of Rhode Island's Mosquito Virus Testing Laboratory. Confirmatory test results were received by DEM at 5:30 p.m. Friday evening. Status of Activities: DEM initiated its Mosquito-Borne Diseases Response Protocol, and immediately contacted the Governor, municipal officials from North Smithfield, Smithfield, Lincoln, Cumberland and North Kingstown, state agencies, and area legislators. DEM met with municipal officials and public works officials from the four communities which had not previously encountered the virus at 3 p.m. today, Friday, September 15. DEM has handed out GIS-generated locus maps that identified streets within the two-mile ground spray radius recommended under the protocol. DEM will loan spray equipment to the communities. The equipment is equipped with sufficient amounts of the pesticide Sumithrin and safety equipment to adequately treat the response areas. Sumithrin is a pyrethroid-based adulticide effective for controlling mosquitoes. The active ingredient in Sumithrin is a man-made pesticide, similar to natural groups of pesticides called pyrethrin, which come from plants such as the common chrysanthemum. These pesticides are also used in pet shampoos, flea sprays and household insect sprays. Spraying will be at dosage levels far below human health threshholds, per EPA guidelines. Spraying is part of a comprehensive program of mosquito control and disease prevention. Spraying will be conducted in accordance with US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state protocol guidelines. Health risks associated with the use of Sumithrin in this manner are negligible. As with any pesticide, common sense measures are recommended to reduce exposure. The Department of Health recommends: Avoid direct exposure to pesticides;
In order to minimize the potential for accidental exposure, city officials have been advised to have the spray truck preceded with a warning vehicle of some sort. Anyone experiencing adverse reactions to pesticides should call their doctor or the Regional Center for Poison Control at 1-800-682-9211. Persons with asthma or other respiratory problems should stay indoors during spraying. |
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