ORLANDO, Fla. — Starting Sunday night, the state said it will help Orange County with aerial mosquito treatments.
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They are working to prevent mosquito breeding after a major population increase due to Hurricane Ian.
Orange County Mosquito Control found about 93,000 acres in Orange County with an increased mosquito population.
These areas include Apopka, Bithlo, Christmas, Hunter’s Creek and Wedgefield.
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Orange County director of public safety, Danny Banks, said that they’ve seen a huge amount of mosquitoes in just the past few weeks.
“The volumes are immense,” he said. “We’ve seen in the many many thousands of measurement units that increase just in a number of days.”
According to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nuisance mosquitoes are some of the most common types and can become a problem immediately following heavy rains, hurricanes or floods.
Officials are reminding residents to take precautions against the West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne illnesses that come from the insect.
Orange County Commissioner Victoria Siplin said she’s been able to see this issue firsthand throughout communities.
“I think that it’s a health issue when you have those flies and you are sitting in that contaminated debris and you know they are landing on people and the mosquitoes,” she said.
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The Florida Department of Health said that people should be draining where rainwater has collected and covering skin with clothing or repellent.
Other counties are also scheduling aerial and truck spraying throughout the month.
Read updates from each county below:
Brevard County:
Sunday, Oct. 16 at 8 a.m.: Brevard County Mosquito Control will be spraying full or partial zones west of Interstate 95 overnight starting Sunday, Oct. 16. Areas not sprayed Sunday will be treated Monday night, Oct. 17. Schedules are approximate and may be delayed due to weather or other factors.
Orange County:
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Friday, Oct 14. at 4 p.m.: In response to a recent spike in the local mosquito population due to Hurricane Ian flooding, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will be supporting Orange County Mosquito Control with aerial mosquito treatments as early as the evening of Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022.
Osceola County:
No exact updates have been given on when spraying will be happening.
Commissioner Ricky Booth says Osceola County has a control plan.
“A mosquito control plan is already being implemented. We were certainly thinking about this before the storm, but flooding concerns have been top of mind. We will continue our control plan as needed,” said Booth.
Read: Hurricane Ian: Cleanup efforts continue as piles of debris await collection
Flagler County:
Friday, Oct.14.: Flagler County Emergency Management and East Florida Mosquito Control District have been working with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to bring planes for aerial spraying – something that may happen next week.
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