Orange County officials warn of rising mosquito count

From FOX 11
June 18, 2020

A perfect storm of events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, have boosted the mosquito population in Orange County, vector control officials said Wednesday.

Light misty rains in May, higher than usual spring temperatures, reductions in staffing due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the economic downturn discouraging residents from more regular cleaning of their pools are among the reasons for the higher mosquito counts, said Heather Hyland, a spokeswoman for the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District.

For the past six weeks, the OCMVCD has been averaging higher mosquito counts compared with the same period last year. The district’s traps are averaging 110 mosquitoes per trap, compared to 24 per trap last year at this time.

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