Vector control looking at new ways to fight the Aedes Aegypti mosquito

The serious nature of the Aedes Aegypti infestation in the valley has the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control looking into new ways of getting rid of the bug, including aerial spraying pesticide.

On Monday the district upgraded the scale of the infestation to around 600 homes in Coachella.

“Its like fishing, the more you fish, the greater your chance of catching a fish. Same thing with mosquitoes the more traps you set in new areas the chance of catching these mosquitoes increases,” said Jeremy Wittie, the General Manager of the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District.

Since the mosquito was detected at the beginning of May the impacted area has grown.

“Currently we have an area around (Avenue) 52 and 53 have about 600 homes in our zone of infestation. Of those 600 homes we’ve inspected 500 and have around 120 to go in that infected area,” Wittie said.

The district said the most important thing they can do is stay on top of the problem.

“To make a maximum impact on controlling and eliminating this mosquito it will take not only what the district is doing but what the residents can do to eliminate these mosquito breeding sources,”Wittie said.

People living in the affected areas say they’re being cautious.

“I’m just careful you know. I try to avoid areas where’s there’s mosquitoes and stuff,” said Mari Aguilar who lives in Coachella.

But they’re happy to see such a proactive response.

Mosquito and Vector Control said they’re now looking into new techniques including aerial spraying.

“We’ve been working with a manufacturer back east to actually make aerial applications across the neighborhoods to actually float this larvacide down to kill mosquito larvae that might be hard to find,” Wittie said.

This technique reduced the population of Aedes Aegypti larvae by 80 percent in Florida.

They’re also working to educate residents and planning community clean ups to eliminate mosquito breeding sources.

The district said they’ve worked to make sure all the information put out is both in English and Spanish to ensure maximum response and results.