Board of Health Holding Adult Mosquito Control Hearing

The Wayland Board of Health wants to expand the town's mosquito control efforts beyond its traditional efforts to combat mosquito larvae.

On Monday, May 20, the BoH is holding a public hearing to explain the details, address questions about and identify individuals who would like to be excluded from adult mosquito spraying.

"Our plan for incorporating adult mosquito control is due to the increasing risk of mosquito-borne illness and also due to larviciding restrictions in areas of Great Meadows Wildlife Refuge," a press release reads.

The adult mosquito control plan is in line with the State Department of Public Health's Arbovirus Surveillance and Response plan, the press release continues.

Last year saw the most ever cases of West Nile Virus identified in Massachusetts in a single season (33), and 13 of the human cases were individuals who live in Middlesex County. Additionally, there were seven cases of EEE reported in the 2012 season, with one of those cases being in a person who lives in Middlesex County. (Attached to this article is a PDF report from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health detailing its 2012 Arbovirus Surveillance Summary)

David Henley, superintendent of the East Middlesex/Suffolk County Mosquito Control Project, will attend the May 20 hearing to assist in answering questions.