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With spike in mosquito-borne illness detection, take extra care

Pinellas County Mosquito Control has seen increased transmission of mosquito-borne West Nile Virus through its sentinel chicken illness detection program and is urging residents to protect themselves and their loved ones from mosquitoes and prevent mosquito breeding.

Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County has issued a Mosquito-Borne Illness Advisory based on the spike in West Nile Virus. Some neighboring counties have also detected the virus through their sentinel chicken programs.

“Our staff are working long hours across the county to apply preventative treatments for mosquitoes,” said Alissa Berro, section manager for Pinellas County Mosquito Control and Vegetation Management. “We’re forecast to get a lot of rain this weekend, so it’ll be important for residents to dump standing water after it accumulates – that’ll take away mosquito breeding grounds.”

The best way for residents to prevent mosquito bites is to follow the 3 D’s:

  • Dress light-colored, long-sleeved clothing with closed toed shoes.
  • Defend using an insect repellent with an CDC recommended ingredient such as DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.
  • Dump or cover standing water, which can include debris from recent storm events holding water.

Residents are encouraged to use screens on open windows and doors to prevent mosquitoes from entering their home. If a screen is damaged, residents are encouraged to patch any holes to prevent mosquito entry.

Because Pinellas County Mosquito Control’s priority is to treat species that threaten public health, there may be an increase in the population of Aedes taeniorhynchus. The black saltmarsh mosquito is an aggressive biter that breeds in tidal habitats and pockets of water left in surge impacted areas. This species is considered a nuisance and not a major concern with disease transmission. 

Visit https://pinellas.gov/mosquito-control/ for additional resources including a new public treatment map that displays recent and upcoming treatments to an area.