County to Spray Spring Valley Neighborhood for Zika Virus

EAST SAN DIEGO COUNTY -- County Vector Control crews will hand spray a neighborhood in Spring Valley this week to kill invasive Aedes mosquitoes to keep them from potentially spreading the Zika virus after mosquitoes were found near a person who contracted Zika traveling abroad.

County crews went door-to-door through the neighborhood Nov. 15 to notify people of the hand-spraying and to show them how to prevent mosquitoes from breeding inside and outside of their homes.

Vector Control crews plan to hand-spray in the neighborhood, weather permitting, on Thursday.

The area of Spring Valley that will be hand-sprayed contains 49 residences on about 13 acres, bordered by San Bernardino Avenue to the west, Apple Street to the south, and just east of Sangamon Avenue to the east.

The neighborhood is the ninth that Vector Control has had to hand-spray this year to protect the public health.

Two invasive species of Aedes mosquitoes in San Diego County can transmit tropical diseases if they first bite an infected person, however, no invasive Aedes mosquitoes have tested positive for carrying any diseases in San Diego County to date.

County officials have continued to urge people to protect themselves from mosquitoes and take simple steps to prevent them from breeding in the first place — mainly by finding and dumping out any standing water inside and outside their homes.

Invasive Aedes mosquitoes are known as “urban” mosquitoes because they prefer to live and breed around people, in backyards and even inside homes. Invasive Aedes mosquitoes can breed in as little as a thimble-full of water, and females lay between 100 to 300 eggs at a time.

Trained County technicians will use ultra-low-volume backpack sprayers to apply Pyrenone 25-5, a pesticide approved for use by the Environmental Protection Agency. The product is made from chrysanthemums, poses low risks to people and pets and dissipates in roughly 20 to 30 minutes. However, the County asks residents in spray areas to avoid or minimize their exposure to the pesticide by taking these simple steps:

• Stay inside and bring pets indoors, if possible.
• Close doors and windows, and turn off fans that bring outdoor air inside the home.
• Cover ornamental fishponds to avoid direct exposure.
• Rinse fruits and vegetables from your garden with water before cooking or eating.
• Wipe down or cover outdoor items such as toys and cover barbecue grills.
• Beekeepers and those with insects kept outdoors should shelter hives and habitats during treatments.
• Wait until 30 minutes after the treatment before resuming normal activities.

More information on how the County works to trap and test invasive mosquitoes is available in the below video.

Image courtesy of the County of San Diego