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No, you’re not seeing things or experiencing deja vu. At least not about this. Only days after a similar, another mosquito sample collected in Worcester has tested positive for West Nile virus, prompting a new round of spraying Thursday in a section of the city where the virus was detected.
The latest finding comes as Worcester remains at a moderate risk level for West Nile virus and mosquito activity continues through the heart of summer. No human cases have been detected in the city, according to an announcement from Worcester officials.
The Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project will conduct truck-mounted pesticide spraying Thursday, Aug. 6, weather permitting. If weather forces a postponement, spraying is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 7.
The targeted area includes nearly 30 streets, primarily in the southeastern portion of the city.
Spraying is planned for 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 and Zoar Street.
The mosquito control project is also tentatively scheduled to spray elsewhere in Worcester on Aug. 11, 18 and 25. Those dates could change depending on weather, mosquito populations, virus activity or the need for spraying associated with special events.
The latest positive sample follows other West Nile detections in Worcester this summer. The city’s risk level was raised from low to moderate earlier this week after another mosquito tested positive.
West Nile virus is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Most people who become infected develop no symptoms, although some may experience fever or flu-like illness. Severe illness is rare, but people over 50 are at greater risk of serious complications, according to the city. Massachusetts reported nine human cases in 2025.
Residents living in Thursday’s spray zone are advised to close street-facing windows and turn off air-conditioning settings that draw in outside air. Pets should be kept indoors between sunset and midnight, and residents should remain inside while spraying is underway and for about 15 to 20 minutes afterward.
The city is also advising parents to keep children away from mosquito-control trucks while they are operating and residents to wash vegetables from home gardens before eating them after spraying.
According to the city announcement, accidental exposure to the pesticide is not expected to cause health problems for most people or pets. People with chemical sensitivities or medical conditions that could be aggravated by spraying are advised to consult their physicians and take additional precautions.
Residents can request that their properties be excluded from wide-area pesticide applications through the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.
Beyond the spraying, health officials are urging residents to make their own yards less inviting to mosquitoes by regularly dumping standing water from buckets, toys, open containers and other places where water can collect. Mosquitoes are most active around dawn and dusk, and residents are encouraged to use insect repellent, wear long sleeves and pants when practical and make sure window and door screens are in good repair.
The city will notify residents in affected neighborhoods through email, text messages and social media. Residents can also register for ALERTWorcester to receive local emergency notifications.
The Worcester Division of Public Health continues to monitor West Nile and other mosquito-borne illnesses with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and other agencies.
For now, the message is a familiar one this mosquito season: Worcester has not recorded a human case, but the virus is here — and health officials are keeping an increasingly close eye on where it turns up next.
