West Nile Virus Detected in Worcester Mosquito Sample, Spraying Planned for Thursday
By Jerry Filmore
WORCESTER, MA — Residents in several eastern Worcester neighborhoods are being advised to take precautions Thursday evening as mosquito-control crews prepare to spray an area where a mosquito sample tested positive for West Nile virus.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health detected the virus in mosquitoes collected from a trap site in Worcester, according to an August 5 notice from the City Manager’s Office.
No human cases have been detected in Worcester at this time. The city’s West Nile virus risk level is currently classified as moderate.
The Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project has scheduled truck-mounted pesticide applications for Thursday, August 6, weather permitting. If spraying cannot take place because of the weather, the rain date is Friday, August 7.
The spraying will occur in the general area where the positive mosquito sample was reported. The city did not identify the exact location of the mosquito trap.
Streets included in the spraying area
The city identified the following streets:
- Bailin Drive
- Balis Avenue
- Blithewood Avenue
- Blithewood Terrace
- Brierway Drive
- Broome Avenue
- Dolly Drive
- Dupuis Avenue
- Echo Street
- Egan Avenue
- Greenhalge Street
- Hickory Hill Estate
- Ida Road
- Ivy Street
- Julien Avenue
- Kelsey Drive
- Marissa Circle
- Massasoit Road
- McClintock Avenue
- Midgley Lane
- Minerva Street
- Miscoe Road
- Myrna Road
- Rolfe Avenue
- Sandra Drive
- Sprague Lane
- Tamar Avenue
- Woodcliffe Avenue
- Zoar Street
The city did not provide an exact starting time for the August 6 application in its notice. Residents can check the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project or call 508-393-3055 after 3:30 p.m. for updated spraying information.
Additional Worcester spraying dates are tentatively scheduled for August 11, August 18, and August 25. Those dates may change because of weather conditions, mosquito populations, mosquito virus activity or special-event spraying.
What residents should do during spraying
Residents whose streets are included in the spraying area are advised to:
- Close windows facing the street.
- Turn off air-conditioning settings that draw air from outside.
- Keep pets indoors between sunset and midnight.
- Keep children away from truck-mounted spraying equipment.
- Remain indoors while spraying is taking place and for 15 to 20 minutes afterward.
- Wash vegetables from home gardens before eating them.
The city said accidental exposure is not expected to cause health concerns for most people. Residents with chemical sensitivities or medical conditions that could be aggravated by spraying should speak with a physician and consider additional precautions.
The pesticide used during the application is similar to products commonly used for flea and tick control, according to the city.
Information about the pesticides and Integrated Pest Management practices used locally is available through the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project’s pesticide information page.
Residents can request a spraying exclusion
Property owners may request that their property be excluded from wide-area pesticide applications by following the state’s pesticide exclusion and opt-out process.
The city did not specify whether requests submitted shortly before the August 6 spraying would be processed in time for that application. Residents seeking an exclusion should review the state’s requirements directly.
Preventing mosquito bites
Spraying can reduce mosquito activity in a targeted area, but it does not eliminate the risk of mosquito-borne illness. Residents are encouraged to continue taking personal precautions before and after spraying.
Public-health officials recommend wearing long sleeves and pants when possible, especially around dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. Residents should use an insect repellent such as DEET according to the product label and remove standing water from buckets, toys, open containers and other areas where rainwater can collect.
Screens on windows and doors should also be inspected and repaired to help prevent mosquitoes from entering homes.
West Nile virus can infect people of any age, but people over age 50 face a greater risk of severe illness. Most infected people do not experience symptoms. Others may develop fever or flu-like symptoms, and a small number may develop a more serious illness.
The city reported that nine human cases of West Nile virus were recorded across Massachusetts in 2025.
Residents can review current community risk levels and mosquito-testing information through the state’s Massachusetts arbovirus update.
How residents will be notified
The city plans to notify people in affected neighborhoods through email, text messages and social media.
Residents can register for ALERTWorcester and confirm that their phone number and email address are current. The city uses the free notification system for public-safety notices, severe weather information and other community alerts.
Residents can also register by texting JoinAW to 65513. Standard carrier messaging and data rates may apply.
Additional alerts will be issued if mosquito-borne illnesses are detected and emergency spraying becomes necessary.
The Worcester Division of Public Health will continue working with state public-health officials and mosquito-control agencies to monitor West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne illnesses. If a human case is detected in Worcester, city nursing staff will follow the division’s regular case-management process.
🔎 W.U.W. Verification Box
- Project / Topic: West Nile virus detection and mosquito spraying in Worcester.
- Current Status: West Nile virus has been detected in a mosquito sample collected from a Worcester trap site. No human cases have been detected, and the city’s risk level is moderate.
- Key Dates or Decisions: Truck-mounted spraying is scheduled for Thursday, August 6, with a rain date of Friday, August 7. Tentative additional spraying dates are August 11, August 18 and August 25.
- Estimated Cost: The City of Worcester’s notice does not provide the cost of the spraying operation.
- Timeline: Spraying is expected to occur after sunset on the scheduled date. The city did not provide a specific starting or ending time.
- Immediate Next Steps: Residents in the listed streets should monitor city and mosquito-control alerts, follow spraying precautions and remove standing water from their properties.
- Primary Sources: City of Worcester Office of the City Manager, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project.
- What We Do Not Yet Know: The exact trap location, mosquito species, pesticide product selected for this application, spraying start time and cost of the response were not included in the city’s notice.
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