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Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Orange County Vector Control District

The West Nile Virus is popping up all over Orange County

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City of Santa Ana

Advisory: West Nile virus Update from the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District

The number of adult mosquitoes that have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV) in 2016 has more than doubled in the past week, bringing the total to 113 samples collected in 22 Orange County cities (see chart below). The findings are compounded by the announcement of the first human West Nile virus infection by the Orange County Health Care Agency on August 3rd, underscoring the importance of mosquito breeding and bite prevention. Continue reading→

The West Nile Virus is back – but don’t panic!

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The Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District issued a panicky press release today as they have confirmed the first mosquito samples infected with West Nile virus (WNV) in the City of Santa Ana for 2016.

The mosquitoes were collected in a mosquito trap at Alona St. & 21st St., and on E. Chestnut Ave. Their teams will be posting the areas this week. They will also be sending crew members to alert residents to the detection of WNV and preventative measures residents can take to protect themselves and their families from mosquitoes and WNV. Continue reading→

First Zika case confirmed in an Orange County resident

Posted on by Posted in Costa Mesa, Disease, Health and Medical, Insects, Orange County, Orange County Vector Control District, Public Safety Leave a comment

For Immediate Release: March 10, 2016

Contact: HCA Communications (714) 834-2178

First Zika Case Confirmed in Orange County Resident

(Santa Ana) – Testing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms that an Orange County resident has tested positive for Zika virus. The individual, a Costa Mesa resident, is a male in his 40s who contracted the virus in late January during travel to Central America and presented symptoms in early February. He was not seriously ill and has recovered. The Health Care Agency has contacted the individual to provide counseling to prevent transmission.

Zika is an infectious disease caused by the Zika virus. Most infected people have no symptoms; for the minority that do, symptoms typically include fever, rash, joint pain and/or red eyes. The greatest concern is related to the possible association between Zika infection in pregnant women and microcephaly (abnormally small head and brain) in newborns. Continue reading→

No need to panic over the new mosquito species in Orange County

Posted on by Posted in Disease, Health and Medical, Orange County, Orange County Vector Control District, Santa Ana 2 Comments
Asian Tiger Mosquito

Asian Tiger Mosquito

Orange County Vector control officials are freaking out over reports from Orange County residents about a new invasive species of mosquito, know as the Asian tiger mosquito, at two homes in Los Alamitos and an industrial park in Huntington Beach.

They are also hunting down and killing another non-native and invasive tropical species called the Yellow Fever mosquito, which has turned up in part of Mission Viejo and is now in Garden Grove and Santa Ana, according to the O.C. Register.

The Vector Control District tried to spray toxic chemicals throughout central Orange County a few weeks ago only to be rebuffed because they did not file the right paperwork to be able to spray over Disneyland.  They did this ostensibly to try to stop the common house mosquitoes as they can carry the West Nile Virus.  However there have only been 63 cases of the West Nile Virus in Orange County this year – and only two deaths (both elderly men in their 80’s. Continue reading→

Orange County’s first West Nile Virus fatality this year reported in Buena Park

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West Nile Virus

For Immediate Release: September 22, 2015

Contact: Deanne Thompson, dthompson@ochca.com, 714-834-2178

ORANGE COUNTY REPORTS WEST NILE VIRUS RELATED FATALITY

West Nile Virus Activity throughout the County is Increasing

(Santa Ana) – An 80 year-old Buena Park resident died last week with complications of West Nile virus (WNV) infection. Test results received this week confirmed the diagnosis. This is the first human death associated with WNV infection for this year’s season in Orange County.

““West Nile virus activity tends to peak in August and September in Orange County, but we continue to have cases occur throughout the fall,” said Dr. Eric G. Handler, County Health Officer. “Individuals can take precautionary measures to limit exposure to the West Nile virus. It is important for people to remember that the end of summer does not mean the end of West Nile virus season.” Continue reading→

It is time to take down the Orange County Vector Control District

Posted on by Posted in Disease, Health and Medical, Orange County, Orange County Vector Control District, Politics, Santa Ana 8 Comments

OC Vector Control District Hacks

Just some of the hacks who serve on the Orange County Vector Control District’s Board of Trustees

From the OC Politics Blog

Is it time to fold the Orange County Vector Control District (OCVCD) into the Orange County Health Care Agency?  The OCVCD got caught this week trying to spray insecticides in several inner city neighborhoods of Santa Ana, after sending out a last minute press release last Friday about spraying that was at the time to take place on Monday.

I wrote a series of posts over at my New Santa Ana blog that exploded on Facebook, generating over 60,000 views and thousands of calls and emails to the many local politicians whose contact information appeared in my posts.  By Monday the OCVCD was waving the white flag.  They “suspended” the spraying due to the weather but the reality is that the backlash I generated, which I ended up calling “Mosquito Gate” made the spraying a total no-go.

Residents said they were unaware of the spraying and reacted online, with some calling the procedure a “toxic spray down.” Some residents questioned why only specific neighborhoods were targeted. Others who work in the early hours expressed concern of health effects associated with the scheduled early-morning spraying, according to the OC Register. Continue reading→

The O.C. Vector Control District surrenders and cancels plans to spray chemicals on our homes

Posted on by Posted in Disease, Environment, Health and Medical, Michael Hearst, Orange County, Orange County Vector Control District, Politics, Santa Ana 6 Comments
Mike Hearst, OC Vector Control District Manager

Mike Hearst, OC Vector Control District Manager

The Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District has bowed to massive public pressure and canceled their plans to spray chemicals on our homes for the remainder of the 2015 mosquito season.

The same thing happened last year.  In both cases there was bad weather that contributed to the Vector Control District’s downfall.  But this time public pressure accelerated very quickly.

A Facebook group formed to rally those opposed to the spraying.  That group quickly grew to over 2,800 members and in the process has become a new political force in Orange County.   Continue reading→

The O.C. Vector Control District has canceled tonight’s aerial chemical spraying

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Vector Control District cancels the spraying

The Orange County Vector Control District has canceled the chemical spraying they were going to start tonight, according to their Facebook page.

Here is the message they posted tonight: Continue reading→

O.C. Vector Control is spraying a chemical on us that isn’t safe for humans, animals, bees or fish

Posted on by Posted in Disease, Environment, Health and Medical, Orange County, Orange County Vector Control District, Politics, Public Safety, Santa Ana 6 Comments

Orange County Chemical Spraying

Peace 4 Animals, SCIL, And The Pet Place Call To Halt Aerial Spraying Of Poison In The OC

Pets, People, and Honeybees At Risk

By: Jennifer Andrews

Orange County, Calif. — Peace 4 Animals, Social Compassion in Legislation and The Pet Place are calling for the immediate halting of plans for aerial pesticide spraying over Orange County cities on September 9th and 10th. Orange County Vector Control aircraft will drop the pesticide called “Duet” over residential yards, homes, parks, schools, organic farms, etc., in an ill-advised attempt to manage mosquito populations. The State of California approved aerial spraying in spite of thousands of public emails, phone calls, letters, protests, and other communication calling for environmentally friendly and healthy alternatives that protect food and water supplies, the interests of organic farmers, fisheries, honeybees, pets, and people.

There is no reason to spray our homes with toxic chemicals since there have been no deaths due to the West Nile Virus this year and only a handful of people have been ill from the disease. The homeless are sadly mostly at risk as they sleep outside (and are at a higher-risk of toxicity from the spraying). Continue reading→

Public pressure mounting on the O.C. Vector Control District to stop their chemical spraying

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Disease, Environment, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Health and Medical, Orange County, Orange County Vector Control District, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Concerned residents convinced the Garden Grove City Council, at their meeting tonight, to oppose the Orange County Vector Control District’s plans to conduct aerial spraying of mosquito poison over our homes.  The Garden Grove City Council is sending a letter to the Vector Control District asking them to delay the spraying and hold public hearings, according to KCBS News.

A Facebook group committed to stopping the spraying now has over 1,500 members.  Click here to join.  Many of these concerned residents protested at the offices of the Vector Control District, in Garden Grove, today.

As usual the Vector Control District is trying to scare us but the reality is that this spraying is not necessary.  They are doing it to justify their budget and their continued pilfering of our property tax dollars. Continue reading→

Protest against spraying our homes with poisonous chemicals set for today at the Vector Control District’s office

Posted on by Posted in Disease, Entertainment, Environment, Garden Grove, Health and Medical, Insects, Orange County Vector Control District, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Stop the spraying

Concerned Orange County residents are gathering today, September 8, 2015, at 4 pm, at the offices of the Orange County Vector Control District to protest the scheduled spraying of a chemical poison on our households that is set to take place this week on Tuesday and Wednesday over the cities of Orange, Tustin, Villa Park and portions of Anaheim, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Stanton between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.

The O.C. Vector Control District is located at 13001 Garden Grove Blvd., in Garden Grove. News crews from several local TV and radio stations will be there to witness the protest.  If you cannot be there you can still call the Vector Control District and complain at (714) 971-2421 or (949) 654-2421. Continue reading→

The O.C. Vector Control District will spray mosquito poison over our homes on Sep. 9-10

Posted on by Posted in Disease, Environment, Health and Medical, homeless, Orange County, Orange County Vector Control District, Politics, Public Safety, Santa Ana 26 Comments

Aerial mosquito poison spraying in Orange County

Here we go again.  The Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District has announced that they are going to be conducting aerial spraying of a chemical poison over the cities of Orange, Tustin, Villa Park and portions of Anaheim, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Stanton between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. on Wednesday, September 9, and Thursday, September 10, 2015 (weather permitting).

The chemical is called Duet.  This is a mosquito control product registered for use by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  That said it is a terrible idea to spray this product. Duet is highly toxic to other insects, such as bees.  It is also deadly to fish. Continue reading→

Is the Orange County Vector Control District poisoning our local honey bees?

Posted on by Posted in Insects, Orange County, Orange County Vector Control District, Politics, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Did the reliably lame Orange County Vector Control District screw up and poison our local honey bees?

One of our readers, David Marder, is a beekeeper, and he runs a bee control company here in Orange County, called Bee Busters.  In fact he is the one who took care of the Africanized honey bees that killed three dogs in Santa Ana lost week.

Marder and his colleagues started noticing earlier in this month (with a huge spike right around the weekend of the 7-8th of March) unusual numbers of people calling about swarms and colonies of bees which upon their arrival they found to be dying from apparent pesticide exposure. So they immediately called the offices of the Orange County Vector Control District, because they seemed like the most plausible cause of bee deaths all over the county. Continue reading→

Recap of tonight’s Santa Ana City Council meeting – mosquitoes, homeless and Lou Correa

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, homeless, Lou Correa, Orange County Vector Control District, Santa Ana 35 Comments

Mike Hearst, OC Vector Control District Manager

The OC Vector Control District tries to explain themselves

Jared Dever, the Director of Communications for the OC Vector Control District, showed up at tonight’s Santa Ana City Council meeting to explain why his agency tried to spray an insecticide on homes in Santa Ana’s inner city neighborhoods a few weeks ago.

Santa Ana Council Members Michele Martinez and David Benavides spoke up and asked that Dever and the OCVCD learn from this episode.  That is because this mosquito spraying decision blew up in everyone’s face.

When we posted about the mosquito spraying, which was announced on a Friday and was supposed to happen the following Monday, the post went viral on Facebook and because I posted the email addresses of the City Council members they each received hundreds of emails from angry residents.

What to do about the proposed Santa Ana Homeless Shelter Continue reading→

The OC Vector Control District will be promoting spraying at Tuesday’s City Council meeting

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Health and Medical, homeless, Orange County Vector Control District, Santa Ana 8 Comments

Standing water at the Santa Ana City Hall

Just when you thought the threat of the Orange County Vector Control District spraying chemicals on our homes here in Santa Ana was over, the OCVCD is scheduled to make a presentation to the Santa Ana City Council at tomorrow night’s City Council meeting, set for Oct. 7, 2014, at 7 pm, at the Council’s Chambers.

The OCVCD recently made headlines again when they proposed spending a million dollars on an exhibit about mosquitoes at the Discovery Center in Santa Ana.

However as we have disclosed in recent articles the West Nile Virus problem in Santa Ana is almost entirely focused on the homeless population.  The homeless sleep outside and as such are more exposed to mosquitoes than the rest of us.  As such spraying our homes is senseless and most likely is just engineered to scare us into allowing the OCVCD to raise our property taxes again.  It is a tax heist. Continue reading→