Advertisement Efforts to control NKY mosquito population brings unexpected controversy Police: Alexandria should have been warned before insecticide spraying Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The Zika virus has arrived in Northern Kentucky, and the effort to control local mosquitoes is bringing an unexpected controversy."It's my property. Definitely my rights were violated if I wasn't informed a chemical was sprayed on my yard," Tim McKittrick, an Alexandria resident, said.Watch this storyThe Northern Kentucky Health department ordered neighborhoods sprayed with an agent to kill mosquitoes, but no one in any of the communities were told about the plan.Northern Kentucky has seen four confirmed cases of Zika, all of which were contracted while traveling.Alexandria police say insecticide was sprayed over part of the city over the weekend after two cases of Zika virus were confirmed in Campbell County -- without notifying first responders or residents.Related: Alexandria should have been warned before insecticide spraying, police say“I’m concerned with my granddaughter hearing this kind of stuff. If she was to get into these chemicals, who would know how it would affect her,” resident Joyce Baker said.The most vocal and high profile of those upset about the spraying without notification is Mike Ward. He’s the chief of police in Alexandria.“Where does government get off hiding behind secrecy, coming down the street in the middle of the night and fogging the neighborhood and not telling us?” Ward said.Even first responders were not notified about the spraying until days afterward.“There’s not a legal obligation, but there sure as heck is a moral obligation to let our community know,” said Ward.Ward posted his concerns on the Alexandria Police Facebook page saying, “We respect and will protect the privacy of the individual. However, we are concerned that you, the pubic, were not notified, especially if your home/property was sprayed.”Complaints are coming from residents who are worried that children and pets playing outside could have gotten into the chemical if it was on lawns, those who eat vegetables picked out of their garden and others have allergies to chemicals so severe they can’t even wear makeup.All feel they should have been told so they could take precautions.“That’s just not right,” Baker said.The agent used to kill the mosquitoes is Duet Adultcide.“This is a very safe and approved product for this type of treatment,” director of environmental health and safety, Steve Divine, said.Divine says the health department cannot legally disclose an area they’re treating because it could disclose the location and identify the person who contacted Zika, violating their privacy rights.“In this case, we have so few cases locally that by giving out that type of information it makes it a little easier for people to figure out who that patient might be,” Divine said.Ward contends first responders are exempt from certain privacy laws and need the information in case they’re called to treat someone who has had a reaction to the chemical.“All we’re asking and have been, is give us a location, a quadrant of the city north, south, east or west and so far we’ve been denied that information,” Ward said.