Framingham Prepares For Second Night Of Mosquito Spraying

BOSTON (CBS) -  Public health officials say a Manchester, New Hampshire, man is the second person to become infected with the West Nile Virus in New England this year.

A Middlesex County resident was the first in late July.  Nationwide, there are more than 1,100 cases.

"I think this is a particularly extraordinary year because of the warm winter," said Framingham's Director of Public Health, Ethan Mascoop.

On Thursday night, Framingham will be sprayed by ground trucks with the East Middlesex Mosquito Control.  They will target neighborhoods south of Waverly Street.

Mascoop calls the ground spraying of pesticides a last resort but says there's little threat to humans.  Even still, he cautions people to go inside if they see a truck coming.

"We don't spray indiscriminately.  We want to make sure we're careful because these are chemicals we're spraying," said Mascoop.

He adds, "Its purpose is to target mosquitoes and kill them but at the same time, we don't want people to be needlessly exposed."

West Nile has been found in 47 states this year; 41 deaths have been blamed on the virus.

Framingham health officials say all of the spraying and prevention is working though.  They believe two nights of aerial spraying wiped out half the mosquito population in town.