Orange County Officials Warn Of "Five-Alarm Year" For Mosquitoes And West Nile Virus

CBS LA

Updated on: September 16, 2026

Orange County vector control officials are sounding the alarm on what they say is an unprecedented mosquito season.

"This is a fire-alarm year for mosquitoes," said Brian Bannon, a spokesperson for the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District. "It's just off the charts."

The latest data from Orange County vector control shows that 718 mosquito nets have tested positive for West Nile virus, a drastic jump from the 70 recorded at the same time last year. So far in 2026, at least 18 people in Orange County have tested positive for the virus, another steep increase from the zero patients recorded in the first nine months of 2025.

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