Pesticide Sprayed In Watts Neighborhood Thursday To Combat Mosquitoes
WATTS (CBSLA) – Los Angeles County workers sprayed pesticide in a Watts neighborhood early Thursday morning which has seen an uptick in in the presence of invasive disease-carrying mosquitoes.
The pesticide spray took place between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. in an area with about 82 homes between Graham Avenue and Beach Street, and from Century Boulevard to 95th Street.
The pesticide was being sprayed using an ultra-low volume truck-mounted application, according to the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District (GLACVCA).
The spray was targeting Aedes mosquito populations, which are present across L.A. County. Aedes mosquitoes can transmit diseases such as Zika, dengue, chikungunya and dog heartworm.
L.A. County has seen more mosquito activity than usual this summer thanks in part to the record rainfall the region received this past winter.
"We have new kinds of mosquitoes in Southern California in addition to the region's native breeds," Alais Medina-Diaz with GLACVCA told CBS2 earlier this week. "But now we also have the invasive Aedes mosquitoes, and that one bites during the day and it primarily bites humans."
Earlier this month, two people in L.A. County were diagnosed with West Nile Virus, the first two cases of West Nile in the county this year. West Nile is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. The virus is mainly transmitted by mosquitoes in the Culex genus.
To help reduce the mosquito populations, residents are advised to clear any standing water, keep pools properly maintained, change out the water in pet dishes regularly and put mosquitofish in ornamental ponds. For more information, click here.