Aug. 28, 2023. Reno/Sparks, Nev. – Aerial mosquito treatment for certain public standing water sources in Washoe County will occur Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, courtesy of the Vector Borne Disease Prevention program of the Washoe County Health District (WCHD).

The helicopter application will treat wetlands and other known habitats of mosquitos of disease on public land in the North Valleys, Spanish Springs, South Reno and Washoe Valley in the early morning hours. The environmentally-friendly treatment is a granular product (not a liquid spray) that is specifically designed to target mosquito larvae to prevent them from becoming biting adults that may transmit diseases like West Nile virus (WNV) and others.

NOTE: The Washoe County Health District is changing its name to Northern Nevada Public Health on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.

The application takes place usually in the early morning hours, weather permitting.

No WNV cases have been reported in Washoe County in humans or in mosquito samples collected through surveillance in 2023. WNV can cause headache, high fever, stiff neck, disorientation, coma, tremors, paralysis, and death. Find more information at this link.

As a precaution, those recreating near wetlands and other areas with mosquitos should take precautions such as wearing loose-fitting clothing (pants and long-sleeved shirts), use insect repellant recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and know that mosquitos are most active during morning and evening hours.

Check the WCHD – VBD website for more information on mosquito treatment, source reduction, preventative measures, and other updates.

Health District changing name to Northern Nevada Public Health this week

The Washoe County Health District will be changing its name to Northern Nevada Public Health on Aug. 31, 2023.

The change, which was approved by the District Board of Health, Washoe County Commission and the Reno and Sparks city councils, will better position public health services and programs that serve residents and business of Reno, Sparks and Washoe County. No changes to services will occur; however, the new name will include a new logo, color scheme and website.

More information will be provided when the new name is launched. Until then, we are still the Washoe County Health District.

The Washoe County Health District is nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board and has jurisdiction over all public health matters in Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County through the policy-making Washoe County District Board of Health. The District consists of five divisions: Administrative Health Services, Air Quality Management, Community and Clinical Health Services, Environmental Health Services and Epidemiology & Public Health Preparedness. More info can be found here