During the initial hours of Wednesday, the Penn State Extension for Lehigh County took an action to control the spread of West Nile Virus; they sprayed some of the major grounds, where mosquitoes breed in Bethlehem and also some parts of center city.

Until now, it has been reported that in Lehigh country, 37 mosquitoes and birds have been tested as potential carriers of the virus. Initially, a mosquito was tested positive of the virus early this summer in Upper Saucon.

Matt Helwig, of the state Department of Environmental Protection's West Nile Virus Program affirmed that the spray they have used, Methoprene SR20 has no side-effects and will have no adverse effects on humans as well as other animals.

However, Helwig added that the sprays have a direct impact on the developing larvae of mosquitoes, thus restricting them to grow into and adult and transmit the virus by their bite. Further, he explained that the sprays are replicas of the hormones produced by mosquitoes.

Louise Bugbee, West Nile coordinator for Lehigh County, said "The spraying will be the second in the Lehigh- the first was in parts of Allentown July 26 -- but could be followed at some point by spraying aimed at adult mosquitoes".