By Kristina Pritchett
City staff has been working, and will continue to work, with the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District (OCMVCD) after a mosquito tested positive for West Nile Virus in the city.
Last week, the OCMVCD announced a mosquito found in Dana Point had tested positive for the West Nile Virus. This is the first for the city this year, but not for the county. In Anaheim, a woman tested positive for West Nile Virus making the first case in Orange County this year. Mosquitoes have tested positive in La Habra, Anaheim and also in Santa Ana.
“While the findings are significant indicators that West Nile Virus is present in the local bird populations, many cities in the county have multiple indications over weeks of trapping and testing,” said Jared Dever, Director of Communications for OCMVCD. “The repeatability of positive indications in a given area help dictate where our agency focuses our control and outreach efforts.”
Two OCMVCD inspectors met with city staff members from multiple city departments last week to discuss water impoundment issues, restricted access to water sources, dead bird collection and pickup protocols and performing field investigations of mosquito breeding sites, Dever said.
“The city has expedited their maintenance scheduled for these sites, and OCMVCD has effectively treated them for mosquito breeding,” Dever said.
Dever said it’s important to wear mosquito repellant while outdoors during the summer months.
“Mosquitoes can fly over 14 miles in search of their meals,” Dever said. “So proximity to where they may be resting—shaded or vegetated areas—is largely irrelevant.”
OCMVCD will continue to trap in the city weekly, and as of Wednesday, no further positive mosquito samples had been collected.