WAVERLY, Ohio (Sept. 10, 2026) — Ohio Pest Control, working with the Village of Waverly, will conduct mosquito spraying tonight from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., according to a notification issued by the Pike County General Health District.
Residents with respiratory problems should consider closing windows and shutting off window air conditioner units until the fog has dissipated, the health district said.
The evening treatment follows confirmed detection of West Nile virus in mosquitoes collected in the village. A mosquito pool gathered July 24 in the Village of Waverly tested positive after samples were sent to the Ohio Department of Health. The testing occurred as part of the Mosquito Control Grant Program. The Pike County General Health District said additional surveillance sites would be established as a precaution.
The announcement, posted on the official Village of Waverly website, stated that Ohio was trending slightly above its 10-year average for West Nile virus at the time and that an increase in the mosquito infection rate in mid to late July is typical. Mosquitoes can test positive after biting local wildlife such as birds or rodents.
At the time of that health district announcement, no human cases of West Nile virus had been reported in Pike County or in Ohio.
West Nile virus is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. According to information provided by the health district citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about eight in 10 people infected show no symptoms. About one in five develop fever, headache, body aches, nausea, or a skin rash that can last days to months. Fewer than 1 percent develop severe illness that can include convulsions, muscle weakness, neck stiffness, coma, paralysis, or death. People over 60 and those with chronic health conditions face higher risk of serious disease. There is no vaccine and no specific treatment for the infection.
The type of mosquito that can spread the virus is found throughout Pike County.
The Pike County General Health District recommends three steps to reduce bites:
1. Dump standing water around the home weekly.
2. Dress in long, loose-fitting clothing when possible.
3. Use insect repellent containing a CDC-recommended ingredient: Picaridin, DEET, oil of lemon eucalyptus (or PMD), or IR3535.
The spraying notification did not list specific streets or the product to be applied. Treatments of this type are commonly weather-dependent and may be adjusted for rain or wind.
For questions, contact the Pike County General Health District at 116 S. Market St., Waverly, Ohio 45690, or call (740) 947-7721. Information is also available at pike-health.com and cityofwaverly.net. Residents seeking the latest statewide West Nile virus figures can review data from the Ohio Department of Health Zoonotic Disease Program or the CDC’s current-year West Nile surveillance pages.
