BERTHOUD, Colo. -- Colorado health officials are upping the fight against mosquitoes as threat of West Nile virus intensifies.
Emergency mosquito spraying is taking place in Berthoud Tuesday night.
According to Colorado Mosquito Control, targeted fog truck spraying will take place from 8:30 p.m. until midnight.
So far, 16 people have tested positive for the West Nile virus in Colorado. One of them died from the virus.
Larimer County has had four cases alone -- including a young teenage boy.
Fogging trucks will also spray in targeted parts of Fort Collins Wednesday night from 8:30 p.m. to midnight.
Spraying will also take place Sunday from 8:30 p.m. to midnight.
“They’ve gotten twice as bad as they were before. When they came back the came back double,” said Amanda Hull in Byers.
Hull is upset after hearing the Byers Fire Department had to stop spraying this year because they aren’t certified. She says mosquitoes are now out of control because of it.
“It’s pretty bad when you have to wear bug spray when you go inside the house because you’ve opened your door and there are that many mosquitoes that they’ve followed you in,” said Hull.
Arapahoe County says it’s up to cities like Byers to come up with their own treatment plans.
Longmont is hiring out, and a contractor will spray there Thursday night.
West Nile is such a big threat because infections can cause inflammation of the brain or the lining of the brain, and if you catch it the virus it could cause blindness, paralysis, coma and even death.
Even though communities are spraying it’s best for you to keep those mosquitoes away from you all together by make sure you clear any standing water around your home and wear insect repellent containing DEET.
