Mosquitoes capable of spreading Zika virus found in Palm Springs

More mosquitoes capable of transmitting viruses such as Zika, chikungunya and dengue have been found in the Coachella Valley; this time in Palm Springs.

Officials said the Aedes aegypti mosquito is not native to California and while it has the potential to transmit deadly viruses, none of those are currently transmitted locally in California by mosquitoes.

The Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District recently detected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes within the area bordered by South Palm Canyon Drive, East Sunny Dunes Road, East Morongo Road and Scenic View Road. Teams will be conducting enhanced surveillance in the area including trapping to evaluate the extent of the infestation, according to the CVMVD’s news release.

Technicians will also be searching for standing water sources where mosquitoes lay eggs and they will be going door-to-door to about 170 homes to look for mosquito breeding sites in residents’ yards.

District officials have some advice on how the community can fight back to prevent these mosquito populations from arising locally.

“We found dozens of immature mosquitoes in man-made water sources,” said Jill Oviatt, public information officer at the district. “This mosquito species prefers feeding on humans and prefers living with people. If we want to get rid of it, people need to stop inviting it to their homes by eliminating stagnant water sources.”

The Aedes aegypti mosquito were already detected in Coachella in May, and since then Cathedral City and Indio. Officials said after months of intensive surveillance and control strategies in Coachella, detection of the invasive mosquito in that area has dropped substantially.

Aggressive control strategies continue in Cathedral City and Indio.

Prevent Aedes aegypti development in your yard:

Inspect yards for standing water sources and drain water that may have collected under potted plants, in bird baths, discarded tires, and any other items that could collect water; Check your rain gutters and lawn drains to make sure they aren’t holding water and debris; Clean and scrub bird baths and pet watering dishes weekly; Check and clean any new potted plant containers that you may bring home from areas that may have Aedes aegypti. The eggs can remain viable in dry areas for months