Pinellas County increases mosquito control to limit spread of Dengue Fever

Pinellas County increases mosquito control to limit spread of Dengue Fever

Pinellas County Mosquito Control is expanding its response to reduce mosquito populations and urging residents countywide to take precautions.

According to the Florida Department of Health's latest Arbovirus Surveillance Report, there are more than 30 confirmed cases of locally-acquired Dengue Fever in the Tampa Bay area. Pinellas County is currently under a mosquito-borne illness alert from Department of Health-Pinellas.

Pinellas County crews are focusing ground inspections and dawn fogging in the Palm Harbor and St. Petersburg areas. While these areas are our focus, we're urging residents countywide to protect themselves and prevent mosquito breeding around their homes. Pinellas County Mosquito Control continues to work closely with the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas for surveillance, education and treatment in the impacted areas.

"Dengue does not stop at county lines," said Alissa Berro, director of Pinellas County Mosquito Control. "The mosquitoes that transmit the virus generally stay within a relatively small area, but people travel throughout the Tampa Bay area every day. When someone infected with dengue enters a new area, a local mosquito can bite that person and later spread the virus to others. As cases rise across the region, so does the potential for additional local transmission in Pinellas County."

Our residents are the key in prevention and protection.

The mosquitoes that spread Dengue Fever are active during the day and thrive in as little as a bottle cap of water. These species seek out standing water for breeding in household items like plastic toys, buckets, plant saucers, tires, etc. Because these items are typically found on private property, traditional adulticide treatments and aerial larviciding treatments are not effective.

Mosquito control will continue daytime backpack fogging treatments, daily surveillance and door-to-door inspections to reduce populations. Because of the prevalence of these mosquitoes on private property, door-to-door inspections are particularly important. We encourage residents to allow our technicians the opportunity to identify and eliminate breeding locations on their property.

To protect themselves and reduce mosquitoes around their home, residents need to:

• Dump out any standing water around their property.

• Dress in light-colored, long-sleeved clothing with closed-toed shoes when outside.

• Defend themselves using an insect repellent with a CDC-recommended ingredient such as DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.

If you believe you have a mosquito-borne illness, please immediately contact the FDOH in Pinellas County at (727) 824-6932.