SEAL BEACH, CA — If you've been getting eaten alive by mosquitos, worry not: OC Mosquito and Vector control is conducting spraying in your area.
According to OC Vector, the cities of Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach and Westminster will be sprayed for mosquitos this month.
The spraying comes due to an unusually high number of mosquitos in the listed areas.
According to OC Vector, residents can expect spraying in Los Alamitos and Seal Beach Oct. 7, 8 and 9 from 1:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m.
AquaDuet will be used to spray a designated area in each town, the district said.
The treatment comes after Orange County residents learned of the county's first human deaths associated with West Nile virus this year, along with 36 reported infections amid a particularly intense season for the mosquito-borne illness.
The deaths were confirmed this week in older adults, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency. Officials did not disclose the number of deaths or provide additional information about the patients.
Health officials said the 36 reported infections likely represent only a fraction of the actual number in Orange County because about 80% of people infected with West Nile virus have no symptoms. The majority of people who develop West Nile fever also do not seek medical care and are not tested.
"Our hearts go out to the loved ones of those who passed. West Nile virus is endemic in Orange County, recurring every year during the summer months and continuing into the fall," county Health Officer Dr. Regina Chinsio- Kwong said. "This year has been particularly intense, with detections of the virus in humans, mosquitoes, and birds. The recent fatalities show how serious and harmful WNV can be. The best way to reduce the risk of West Nile virus infection is to take measures to avoid mosquito bites and take measures to reduce mosquito breeding around your home."
Symptoms of West Nile infection can include fever, headache, body aches and fatigue, according to health officials.
About 20% of people infected with the virus develop a fever and may also experience headaches, body aches, nausea, tiredness and sometimes a skin rash.
More serious symptoms associated with West Nile neuroinvasive disease can include severe headaches, neck stiffness, confusion, muscle weakness, vision loss or paralysis. Health officials urged anyone who develops such symptoms to seek medical care immediately.
To learn more about mosquito spraying in your area, or to ask an OC Vector official to come and inspect your home or neighborhood, visit the district's website.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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