“It is important for everyone to take precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. People need to remember to use insect repellent at dusk and dawn or whenever they are outdoors and there is mosquito activity,” District Manager Tim Mulligan said. “During warm weather make sure home window and door screens are in good repair and securely in place to help prevent mosquitoes from entering.”

Other steps recommended to take to reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes are:

• When outdoors, wear long sleeved shirts and long pants

• Ensure door and window screens are in good repair to prevent mosquitoes from entering homes

• Call the District for free mosquito-eating fish for water sources on their property, such as ponds, troughs, and decorative fountains

• Contact the District to report mosquito problems or green pools/spas.

Please remember it is important to contact the State’s WNV Dead Bird Hot line at 1-877-WNV-BIRD (1-877-968-2473) to report birds that have been dead for less than 24 hours.  These dead bird reports help the District to coordinate its mosquito surveillance activities in its search for WNV in the community.

To date, 25 counties in California have detected and reported WNV activity. There have been three human cases reported in California , over 332 infected birds, and 155 mosquito samples have tested positive for the virus. Southern California and the Central Valley areas of the state have been hit the hardest by WNV so far this year.

9-5-2008 AERIAL SEARCH FOR MOSQUITO SOURCES CONTINUES

SAN JOSE, CALIF.—The Santa Clara County Vector Control District will conduct an aerial search for mosquito breeding sources that could potentially carry West Nile Virus on Monday, September 8. A plane equipped with digital photography capability will survey 105 square miles looking for neglected pools and other sources that could harbor developing mosquitoes and potentially carry the West Nile virus.

The 105 square miles will include portions of Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, Saratoga, Stanford and Sunnyvale. This includes the regions which have never been surveyed, or not surveyed since last year. A map of the survey areas is available here .

A single poorly maintained swimming pool can produce millions of mosquitoes which can be a nuisance and cause health risks for an entire neighborhood. “During the past two years, we’ve had tremendous success with aerial surveys in helping detect neglected swimming pools and ponds,” said District Manager Tim Mulligan. “Aerial surveys continue to be a vital part of our urban mosquito control program.”

The District's first two aerial surveys this year were conducted in early May and early August, and identified more than 600 properties with green pools. Since the survey, there have been over 860 inspections and 135 treatments or fish plantings on these properties.

Vector Control Technicians will contact and explain to property owners, identified through the aerial survey, the health risk posed by poorly maintained swimming pools and ponds. In cooperation with the property owner immediate steps will be taken to resolve the problem. Although formal enforcement has not been necessary, to date, property owners can be subject to fines of up to $1,000 per day for failure to abate a public health nuisance.

“Although no human cases of West Nile virus have been identified in Santa Clara County to date, we have found three positive mosquito samples that resulted in residential ground foggings in two areas of the county. Residents still need to take precautions against mosquito bites, such as using insect repellents and eliminating standing water on their property,” said Assistant Manager Russ Parman.

• Mosquito Control Products For Residents

• Information on Fogging Procedure and Product Used

• Fogging FAQs

Vector Control Disctrict Mission Statement

Vector Control’s Mission is to detect and minimize vector-borne diseases, to abate mosquitoes, and to assist the public in resolving problems with rodents, wildlife, and insects of medical significance.