Public Warned Against Disease-carrying Mosquitoes Aedes Aegypti in Fresno and Fowler, California

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Disease-carrying mosquito Aedes aegypti was spotted in California on Thursday, and health officials have since warned the public about the danger that it brings, reports the SFGate. Another type of mosquito, the Aedes albopictus, has also been seen in the area.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is known to carry the dengue virus, as well as yellow fever. Considered to be tropical illnesses, dengue and yellow fever could be fatal, especially for children. Meanwhile, Aedes albopictus also causes dengue fever. These types of disease-carrying mosquitoes are rarely seen in California, so that when they were spotted in the state, vector control experts became alarmed and hastened to eliminate the threat, before they could multiply and cause a seasonal threat, according to the Merced Sun-Star.

In Fresno and Fowler, Fresno the County Health Department cautioned the public about the mosquitoes, issuing a set of safety guidelines in warding off the pests, as published in the Merced Sun-Star. Residents were advised to use insect repellents, to make sure doors and windows are always closed and sturdy to keep out mosquitoes, and to throw away stagnant water in containers left lying around the home, as these could be breeding grounds for the disease-carrying pests. The Fresno County Department of Public Health also advised the public to get information from their website, including photos of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Tim Phillips (Fresno Mosquito and Vector Control District) disclosed that the pests were first spotted in Madera and Clovis sometime in June, and later on this week in Fresno, according to NBC San Diego.

So far however, there are no reports of dengue and yellow fever infections. The danger however remains, as the presence of the mosquitoes, and their subsequent spread could facilitate transmission of the lethal viruses of dengue and yellow fever. The mosquitoes acquire the virus by biting infected humans and transmitting the strain to other individuals.