Yucca Valley woman concerned about lack of vector control

UPDATE: 6:16 p.m.

Dr. Patty Van Santen said peace and serenity is what drew her to live in Yucca Valley for the past 14 years.

“The concern of a community for a community,” Van Santen said. “It’s really great living in a small town.”

But she said for the past couple of years, she’s had some unwelcomed company at her home.

“I’ve been sleeping under mosquito netting, and my neighbors have been getting bitten,” Van Santen said. “And there’s just been a whole lot of mosquitoes.”

Van Santen said her rise in concern has grown after recent cases of West Nile and Zika.

She said she’s even lobbied for town officials to contract with San Bernadino County Vector Control, but she said that hasn’t happened.

“They’re missing out on the opportunity to protect the community by having the ability to take samples, and to determine which mosquitoes are in the area, where they might be and if they are carrying any viruses,” Van Santen said.

But town officials said they’ve been handling the issue, saying mosquitoes are not typical visitors in the High Desert.

“We try and do it in the most effective, cost-effective and efficient way,” Yucca Valley Town Manager Curtis Yakimow said. “So for those areas that we can provide that service, depending on the frequency of the need, the type of need, the scope of need, many services we can provide directly. Others it’s more efficient to contract out. So those we might contract out, it could be with county, or it could be with a private entity as well.”

But Van Santen said she hopes to see something done before it’s too late.

“For them to say they’d wait until the issues happens, or on a case-by-case issue, you can’t really control mosquitoes after the fact,” Van Santen said.

Yakimow said if you live in Yucca Valley, and have any concerns regarding mosquitoes, you can report the problem to Town Hall by calling (760) 369-7207.

Yakimow said they recommend residents to get rid of standing water in their yards. He said town officials also ensure there’s no standing water at parks and greenspaces.

In the case of widespread health concerns, Yakimow said the town would follow procedures as prescribed by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the proper protocols for expanded treatment, in partnership with county and state resources as necessary.

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ORIGINAL STORY: 4:28 p.m.

A doctor living in Yucca Valley for the past 14 years is trying to raise awareness about mosquito-borne illnesses — saying she’s had some battles of her own, and the town isn’t doing anything to proactively monitor for the presence of West Nile and Zika virus.

If you live in Yucca Valley and you’re concerned about mosquito-borne illnesses, call Yucca Valley Town Hall at 760-369-7207.

Zak Dahlheimer met with the woman Wednesday afternoon and she said her concerns have increased since the recent cases of Zika and West Nile.

We also spoke with town officials to learn why they don’t have a local vector control program; they say they’re handling it t themselves.

Learn about the details on KESQ at 5 p.m. and on CBS Local 2 at 5:30 p.m.