District reports first locally acquired dengue case | News

The county is investigating the first case of locally acquired dengue fever. The Escondido resident who contracted dengue did not travel to an area where the mosquito-borne disease is common. No additional locally acquired cases have been identified at this time.

To protect the public's health and prevent mosquitoes from potentially spreading the dengue virus, County Vector Control began mosquito spraying about 170 homes in Escondido this weekend. Treatments began on Friday and will continue until Thursday, October 10th.

Dengue fever is a tropical viral disease not commonly found in the United States. Since the invasive Aedes mosquitoes were first discovered in San Diego County in 2014, there have been no locally acquired cases of dengue fever.

People who travel to countries where dengue fever is common can become infected with dengue fever through mosquito bites. There have been 49 cases of travel-related dengue in San Diego County so far this year.

“While the risk of widespread transmission of dengue remains low in San Diego County, County Public Health and Vector Control are working closely together to respond quickly and prevent mosquitoes from spreading the disease in this area,” said Dr. Ankita Kadakia, Interim County Public Health Officer.

The arrival of locally acquired dengue in San Diego County is no surprise. Los Angeles County recently reported five cases of locally transmitted dengue fever this year. The first cases of locally acquired dengue fever occurred in Long Beach and Pasadena in late 2023.

Vector Control performed similar treatments in Oceanside in September and in Mount Hope area from San Diego in July of this year. Both treatments were initiated as a precautionary measure to prevent possible local spread of dengue fever due to travel-related dengue cases and the high number of Aedes mosquitoes in the neighborhood.

Information about dengue

Dengue fever is transmitted by mosquitoeswhen a mosquito bites an infected person and then feeds on another person.

It can take four to seven days for someone bitten by a dengue-infected mosquito to experience symptoms. Dengue fever can be diagnosed through a blood test, which can be discussed with a doctor.

The most common symptoms are fever, chills, and any of the following: pain (eye pain, muscle, joint, or bone pain), nausea, vomiting, and rash.

Symptoms can be moderate and last two to seven days. Most people recover after about a week. However, symptoms can also become severe, fatal, include shock and shortness of breath, and require hospitalization. There are no specific medications to treat dengue fever.

“Fight the Bite” – How to prevent and protect yourself from mosquitoes

• Day-biting Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, also known as “ankle biters,” are the main vectors of dengue fever. These mosquitoes like to live and breed near people, often in yards and in small amounts of water.

• Discard, empty, or remove all items inside and outside of homes that can hold water, such as plant saucers, rain barrels, buckets, garbage cans, toys, old tires, and wheelbarrows. Mosquitofish, available for free atLocations throughout the countycan be used to control mosquito breeding in backyard stagnant water sources, such as unmaintained swimming pools, ponds, fountains and horse troughs.

• Protect yourself from mosquito-borne diseases by wearing long sleeves and pants or using insect repellent when outdoors.

• Use insect repellents that contain EPA-approved ingredients such as DEET, picaridin, lemon eucalyptus oil, or IR3535.

• Make sure fly screens on windows and doors are in good condition and secured to keep insects out.

County mosquito control efforts are underway

Trained county technicians are working to reduce the number of adult mosquitoes that can spread dengue fever by applying AquaDuet, a pesticide approved for use by the Environmental Protection Agency, with ultra-low volume backpack sprayers Focus areas and trucks to apply the product to a larger portion of the area.

The district first informed the neighbors and left door hangers on the houses in the treatment area on Friday. Treatment limits and additional information can be found on Vector Control Mosquito control website for adults. The treatment product poses low risk to people and pets and dissolves in approximately 20 to 30 minutes. People in the area can avoid or minimize their exposure to the pesticide by taking simple steps:

• Stay indoors and bring pets indoors if possible

• Close doors and windows and turn off fans that bring outside air into the home

• Wash any pet food and water bowls left outside during treatment

• Cover fish ponds to avoid direct sunlight

• As usual, rinse fruits and vegetables from your garden with water before cooking or eating them

• Wipe down or cover outdoor items such as toys and grills

• Beekeepers and those who keep their insects outdoors are urged to protect hives and habitats during treatment. Beekeepers registered with the county Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures can request to be notified in advance if a pesticide that could affect bees is used on flowering plants in their area.

• You can resume your normal activities 30 minutes after treatment

For more information about mosquitoes, visit San Diego County “Fight the bite”  Website.

For those in the affected area, County Public Health staff are on site in the Escondido community today and tomorrow and are available to answer questions and provide information about dengue.