Mosquito Awareness Week educates California residents on preventing mosquito-borne viruses
SACRAMENTO, APRIL 13, 2017 – As California’s extremely wet winter comes to a close, mosquito experts throughout the state are ramping up for what will most likely be an early and active mosquito season. While the heavy rains were good for the state’s historic drought, they also produce new sources of standing water, the ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes and warm weather go hand in hand. Spring temperatures will further determine how early and aggressive the mosquito season will be.
With potentially the perfect storm of conditions for mosquito activity, Californians need to be aware of the serious risks mosquitoes present to their health including West Nile, Saint Louis encephalitis, and potentially dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses.
The San Joaquin County Mosquito and Vector Control District’s most tenured Board Member, Chester (Chet) Miller, passed away on February 3, 2016 at his home following a short illness with Leukemia. Chet served on the District’s Board for 28 years as the city of Tracy representative and served as the Northern San Joaquin Valley Region Trustee representative on the MVCAC Trustee Council. He was very active in District affairs and the Association, and was instrumental in initiating the District’s public outreach campaign starting in 1997, which created the District’s full time position of Community Education Specialist and now Public Information Officer. He will be sorely missed.