A MAJOR US city is set to be sprayed with pesticides as officials fear the rise of a virus. Parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn are set to be treated this week in a bid to cull mosquitos in the area. It comes as officials worry about the risk of West Nile virus, according to Spectrum News .
The first cases of the virus were reported in the city this year with at least 216 reported in 33 states this year, per the CDC . There is currently no specific treatment and no vaccines are yet licensed for human use, according to the organization. Dr Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases was hospitalized over the weekend with the virus.
"A full recovery is expected," the 83-year-old's spokeswoman Jenn Juzmuk said in a statement. The virus is most commonly contracted and spread through a bite by an infected mosquito. The insects typically become infected when feeding on infected animals like birds.
Symptoms of the virus include fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or a rash. Most read in Health As a result, mass pesticide spraying is being rolled out across the city. The first spraying took place on Monday night between 8:30 pm and 6 am on Tuesday morning.
Central Park, the Upper West Side, and all areas of northern Manhattan were treated at this time. Southwest Brooklyn is scheduled for spraying overnight on Wednesday. If there is rain it will be moved 24 hours forward.
Detailed maps of the areas for spraying have been.