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Public Safety

San Diego Scheduled To Spray For Mosquitoes In Spring Valley

A researcher holds a container with female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. This species transmits the Zika virus.
Andre Penner AP
A researcher holds a container with female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. This species transmits the Zika virus.

San Diego County Vector Control crews will hand-spray a neighborhood in Spring Valley on Thursday in an attempt to kill invasive Aedes mosquitoes to keep them from potentially spreading the Zika virus.

After more mosquitoes were found in the vicinity of an individual who contracted Zika while traveling abroad, county crews went door-to-door through the neighborhood Tuesday to notify people of the planned hand-spraying.

They also showed residents how to prevent mosquitoes from breeding inside and outside of their homes.

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The area that will be sprayed, weather permitting, contains 49 homes on about 13 acres, bordered by San Bernardino Avenue to the west, Apple Street to the south, and just east of Sangamon Avenue to the east.

It's the ninth neighborhood where Vector Control has conducted spraying this year to protect the public health.

Two invasive species of Aedes mosquitoes in San Diego County can transmit tropical diseases like the Zika virus, dengue and chikungunya if they first bite an infected person.

No invasive Aedes mosquitoes have tested positive for carrying any diseases in San Diego County to date.

Trained county technicians will use ultra-low-volume backpack sprayers to apply Pyrenone 25-5, a pesticide approved for use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The product is made from chrysanthemums, poses low risks to people and pets and dissipates in about 20 to 30 minutes.

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