Weekly mosquito control treatments to begin in Coachella Valley

The Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District announced today it will conduct weekly spraying operations beginning Saturday to control the mosquito population in Indio and Coachella and reduce the risk of transmission for mosquito-borne viruses.

The truck-mounted mosquito control spraying operations will start Saturday and continue on a weekly basis through Sept. 21, between 1 and 7 a.m., dependent on weather conditions, according to the district. The treatments are aimed at the invasive mosquito species Aedes aegypti, first found in the Coachella Valley in 2016, and capable of transmitting harmful viruses such as chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever, and Zika.

No cases of local transmissions have been reported, according to the agency.

During the spraying operations, the district will use VectoBac WDG, an organic product district officials said is aimed at mosquito larvae.

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are approximately a quarter-inch long and monochromatic, feeding almost exclusively on humans, according to the district, which urged residents to "eliminate all possible standing water sources around their homes."

"The public plays a critical role in reducing the abundance and controlling this mosquito," district general manager Jeremy Wittie said in a statement. "Mosquito control is a community effort."

The district offered a series of tips to reduce the local mosquito population, such as checking window screens to prevent mosquitoes from entering residences and draining water containers.

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