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Key Points
- The Florida Department of Health in Orange County issued an alert about increased mosquito-borne disease activity after sentinel chickens tested positive for West Nile virus.
- DOH-Orange and Orange County Mosquito Control expanded surveillance and increased targeted mosquito control treatments to reduce mosquito populations.
- Residents are advised to wear repellent, fix screen holes, and eliminate standing water weekly to prevent mosquito-borne diseases in affected communities.
The Florida Department of Health in Orange County (DOH-Orange) has issued an alert to make residents aware of an increase in mosquito-borne disease activity in areas of Orange County.
Several sentinel chickens have tested positive for West Nile virus infection, according to a Thursday news release. DOH-Orange and Orange County Mosquito Control are coordinating their surveillance and prevention efforts by expanding coverage within affected communities.
In addition, response measures have been increased through targeted mosquito control treatments to help reduce mosquito populations.
Residents may reduce the spread of mosquito-borne diseases by wearing repellent, repairing holes in screens, and emptying or covering anything that could hold standing water at least once a week, according to the DOH.
The DOH continues to conduct statewide surveillance for mosquito-borne illnesses, including West Nile virus infections, Eastern equine encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, malaria, chikungunya and dengue. The department encourages Florida residents to report dead birds at myfwc.com/contact/incident-reporting/.
