County to Hand Spray for Mosquitoes in Mt. Hope Area

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County Vector Control crews plan to hand-spray a neighborhood in the Mt. Hope area this week to keep mosquitoes from potentially spreading the dengue virus after mosquitoes were found near a person who contracted dengue outside the U.S.

County crews went door-to-door through the neighborhood Wednesday to notify residents about the hand-spraying and to teach them how to keep mosquitoes from breeding inside and outside their homes.

County crews plan to hand-spray the area Friday, weather permitting.

The treatment area is about 12 acres in size and is bordered by Hilltop Drive to the north, 40th Street to the east, F Street to the south, and Boundary Street to the west within the City of San Diego. More information on the treatment can be found on Vector Control's mosquito treatment webpage.

Trained County technicians will knock down adult mosquitoes that can spread disease by applying AquaDuet, a pesticide approved for use by the Environmental Protection Agency, using ultra-low-volume backpack sprayers. The product poses low risks to people and pets and dissipates in roughly 20 to 30 minutes. However, the County is instructing residents in spray areas that they can avoid or minimize their exposure to the pesticide by taking 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
• Wash outside pet food and water bowls
• Cover fishponds to avoid direct exposure
• Rinse fruits and vegetables from your garden with water as you normally would before cooking or eating
• Wipe down or cover outdoor items such as toys and cover barbecue grills
• Beekeepers and those with insects kept outdoors are encouraged to shelter hives and habitats during treatments. Beekeepers registered with the County's Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures can request to receive advance notice when a pesticide that may affect bees is applied to blossoming plants in their areas.
• You may resume normal activities 30 minutes after the treatment

Dengue

Dengue is a tropical viral disease that is not commonly found in the contiguous United States. Since the invasive Aedes mosquitoes were first detected in San Diego County in 2014, there have been no locally acquired cases of dengue.

U.S. travelers can get dengue while visiting countries where dengue is common. Dengue infections in travelers are reported each year in San Diego County. From Jan. 1, 2024, through June 30, 2024, there have been 15 travel-related cases of dengue in San Diego County residents.

Dengue is spread by mosquitoes, when a mosquito bites an infected person and then feeds on another person.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are no specific medicines to treat dengue. The most common symptoms are fever, chills and any of the following: aches and pains (eye pain, muscle, joint or bone pain), nausea, vomiting, and rash.

Symptoms can be moderate and last two to seven days. Most people recover after about a week. However, symptoms can also become severe, be deadly, include shock and respiratory distress, and can require hospitalization.

Dengue can be determined by a blood test.

The CDC said the best way to protect yourself from contracting dengue is to protect yourself from mosquito bites.

Day-biting Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, also known as "ankle-biters," are the primary transmitter of dengue. These mosquitoes like to live and breed around people, often in yards and in small amounts of water.

The best way people can protect themselves is to find and dump out any standing water in and around their homes to keep them from breeding in the first place.

Prevent Mosquito Breeding

Dump out, drain, or remove any items inside and outside of homes that can hold water, such as plant saucers, rain gutters, buckets, garbage cans, toys, old tires, and wheelbarrows. Mosquitofish, available for free at locations throughout the county, may be used to control mosquito breeding in backyard standing water sources, such as unmaintained swimming pools, ponds, fountains, and horse troughs.

Protect Yourself from Mosquito Bites

Protect yourself from mosquito-borne illnesses by wearing long sleeves and pants or use insect repellent when outdoors. Use insect repellent that contains EPA-approved ingredients like DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535. Make sure screens on windows and doors are in good condition and secured to keep insects out.

For more information about mosquitoes go to San Diego County's  "Fight the Bite"  website.

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