Rutherford County is now the third Tennessee county to have a confirmed Zika virus case. The City of Murfreesboro is increasing efforts to battle mosquitoes this spring by attacking larvae with a mosquito-attacking bacteria-based larvae known at Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti).

"Killing larvae before they have a chance to become adults is the recommendation of both the University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)," said City Engineering Director Chris Griffith. "We want to be as proactive as possible in reducing mosquito development by distributing larvae in standing water and drainage ditches on public property where the insects breed."

The Murfreesboro Street Division will be sending crews to mosquito-prone locations throughout the City to deposit the mosquito-attacking larvae in areas with standing water. The larvae comes in the form of a donut and can also be purchased by private property owners at farm co-op and outdoor stores.

The State of Tennessee Health Department advises the most effective way to reduce mosquitoes around your home is to eliminate breeding grounds by removing any containers that collect rainwater such as cans, buckets, bird baths, and old tires. The State also recommends personal protection measures such as clothing and insect repellents to help reduce the chance of mosquito bites. For additional advice on reducing mosquitoes and protecting your family from mosquito bites, watch this YouTube video from the State Department of Health https://youtu.be/1bw7IzUHRnc.

The City's stepped up efforts, including the purchase of additional larvae, is a routine transition from winter-time activities to spring and comes after the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency in February as the Zika virus spread in the Americas following an outbreak in Brazil. For more information on the Zika virus and mosquito-borne diseases, visit www.tn.gov/health and www.cdc.gov.

The City of Murfreesboro does not utilize a mosquito-spraying program based on extension service advice that it is less effective in reducing mosquito breeding. For more information about mosquito control, contact Chris Griffith, City Engineer, at 615.893.6441 or via email at cgriffith@murfreesborotn.gov.

In all three Zika virus cases in Tennessee, all were contracted by residents traveling out of the country. In addition to Rutherford County joining the list a few days ago, the first reported case was in East Tennessee and the second was Memphis.