Vinton County Health Department won't distribute mosquito repellent this season

A grant shortfall will leave Vinton County residents without mosquito repellent from the county health office this season. The Vinton County Health Department said it did not receive the OEPA Mosquito Grant and is seeking multiple funding sources in hopes of keeping services going.

The department said it was letting the public know directly so families, seniors and outdoor workers understand that no repellent is available through the county health office. Its mosquito-and-tick information page repeats the notice and says the agency will keep the community informed as it searches for other funding.

Residents are being told to lean on standard protection steps that normally supplement county outreach. The health department recommends EPA-registered repellents, long sleeves and pants, screens on windows and doors, and removing standing water around homes. The department also said it has been spraying for mosquitoes throughout the summer months, so the loss of grant support removes one tool but does not end local mosquito control.

The funding loss comes after several years in which Ohio EPA mosquito-control dollars supported local departments. Ohio EPA says its Mosquito Control Grant Program helps local governments and health departments reduce the risk of mosquito-borne viruses through surveillance, control and education. In 2024, the agency awarded more than $1 million in mosquito-control grants statewide to 58 local health departments and municipalities in 47 counties, and Vinton County was among the southeast Ohio counties that received assistance. In 2025, Ohio EPA awarded more than $650,000 to 33 county and municipal health departments across Ohio.

In Vinton County, the grant has already paid for visible work. The health department held a Tire Clean Up Day next to the Vinton County Fairgrounds in April 2026, and the department said the event was made possible through an OEPA Mosquito Control grant. Tire cleanup matters because discarded tires collect water and become mosquito breeding sites.

The county has also seen mosquito-borne disease monitoring lead to action before. In August 2024, the health department announced that a positive West Nile Virus mosquito pool had been found in McArthur during regular surveillance activities in Elk Township, and it planned spraying nearby areas while urging residents to protect themselves from bites. That history makes this season’s funding gap more than a budget note. It leaves a county with a known mosquito problem depending more heavily on individual prevention and whatever replacement funding can be found.

Health Commissioner Emily Deshaies, Medical Director Susan Crapes and Environmental Health Division Director Brad Price are listed on the department’s website for residents seeking information. The Environmental Health Division can be reached at (740) 596-0473, and the office is at 31927 State Route 93 in McArthur.