Mosquito spraying in San Jose, Milpitas after the discovery of West Nile

SAN JOSE – The Santa Clara County Vector Control District is on the offensive after finding West Nile Virus-positive mosquitoes in parts of San Jose, Milpitas, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara.

The insects were found in zip codes 95035 and 95134, the district said in a news release Monday. On Tuesday morning, it was announced that additional infected bugs were found in the 94085, 94086, 94087 and 95051 zip codes, which include parts of Sunnyvale and Santa Clara.

Starting around 22 Wednesday, the district plans to use truck-mounted equipment to treat a “limited area” of Milpitas and San Jose with Zenivex, an insecticide that targets and kills adult mosquitoes.

That area to be treated is centered at North Milpitas Boulevard and Homme Way, and is bounded by Dixon Landing Road, Firethorn Street, Buskirk Street and Levin Street to the north; Levin Street, Gross Street, Gosser Street, Greathouse Drive and Diel Drive to the east; Rancho Higuera Road, Garcia Court, Sudbury Drive, Summerwind Drive and California Circle to the south; and California Circle and North McCarthy Boulevard to the west.

Spraying in Sunnyvale and Santa Clara was scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. Thursday.

That areas for Thursday’s consideration is centered around South Wolfe Road and Old San Francisco Road, bordered by East California Avenue and East Arques Avenue to the north; Lawrence Expressway, Willow Avenue, Timberpine Avenue, Sugarpine Avenue, Henderson Avenue and Poplar Avenue to the east; El Camino Real and Remington Drive to the south; and Azure Street, Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road, South Mathilda Avenue, South Taaffe Street, South Frances Street, North Murphy Avenue and Jackson Street to the south.

Residents do not need to move during the operations, the district said, adding that mosquito treatments pose minimal risk when applied by a licensed professional. But those who want to take extra precautions can remain indoors with windows and doors closed while the operation is in progress. The treatments take about four hours.

The district said it’s normal to see an increase in West Nile during the summer and early fall because mosquitoes thrive in warm weather.

The virus has infected more than 7,000 people and killed nearly 400 since it arrived in California in 2003, the district said. In 2022, there were 15 West Nile-related deaths.

Infections can cause fever, headache, body aches and, in severe cases, significant neurological damage or death. People with certain conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease and cancer are at greatest risk of serious complications.

Residents can help prevent the spread of the virus by draining or dumping standing water and limiting outdoor activity at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.