SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is taking steps to protect people from mosquito-borne viruses.

A helicopter will be flying over the Great Swamp area in South Kingstown and the Chapman Swamp in Westerly on Thursday and Friday for targeted aerial applications of mosquito larvicide.

The application consists of pellets that kill mosquito larvae being dropped into the targeted wetlands, the DEM said. The treatment does not pose a hazard to humans or the environment.

"When the chopper lands it takes about 10 minutes to do a run. He knows exactly where he’s been and where he needs to go," the DEM's Ken Ayars explained.

It's part of the state's plan to control Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus.

The latest RI Mosquito Report indicated that while there were no positive findings in the last two rounds of testing, previous testing suggested there's a "significant" risk of those viruses in Washington County and an "elevated risk" in the rest of the state.