James Gathany/CDC
Key Points
- Orange County plans aerial mosquito spraying in Apopka and Pine Hills over the next two to three weeks due to five dengue fever cases.
- The spraying targets the Aedes aegypti mosquito and aims to reduce its population by 99%.
- Residents are advised to eliminate standing water and use repellents to prevent mosquito breeding and dengue infection.
Orange County plans aerial mosquito spraying in the Apopka and Pine Hills areas over the next two to three weeks after health officials confirmed two additional locally acquired cases of dengue fever in Apopka, bringing the countywide total to five.
Orange County Mosquito Control announced the plans Monday to target the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits the virus. Four of the five confirmed cases have been reported in the Apopka area.
“We will be spraying in the Apopka and Pine Hills areas to kill the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is the known carrier of Dengue,” Steve Harrison, manager of Orange County Mosquito Control, said in a news release.
The county has not announced specific spraying dates or locations. Residents will receive at least 48 hours’ notice through Orange County’s social media accounts, the Mosquito Control website and the OC Alert emergency notification system.
Harrison said the aerial treatment is expected to reduce the targeted mosquito population by 99%. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, aerial applications of small amounts of insecticides registered by the Environmental Protection Agency pose minimal risk when applied by licensed professionals following label instructions.
Orange County’s first locally acquired dengue case was confirmed Sept. 2 in Pine Hills, prompting a mosquito-borne illness advisory. Two additional cases in Apopka on Sept. 18 led the Florida Department of Health to issue a mosquito-borne illness alert.
Health officials urge residents to eliminate standing water around their homes, including water collected in buckets, flowerpots, tires and other containers where mosquitoes can breed.
Residents should also wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, use EPA-registered mosquito repellent and repair damaged window and door screens.
Dengue symptoms may include fever, severe muscle and joint pain and a rash. Residents experiencing symptoms can contact the Florida Department of Health in Orange County at 407-858-1420.