Several Central Florida counties to start aerial spraying for mosquitos after Hurricane Ian

ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida has seen a mosquito increase since Hurricane Ian soaked the Sunshine State, leaving swimming pools and puddles of standing water the little bloodsuckers use to put their eggs. “Nicely they carry illnesses, primary, and so they’re a pest!” says Winter Park resident John McDade.

Central Florida counties are stepping up the battle. Seminole County has already been spraying for mosquitoes. Orange, Brevard, and Flagler counties will begin aerial spraying, this week. “We noticed a spike in mosquito populations after the storm. That useful resource is obtainable to us, so we determined to place in a request to attempt to get some aid for a few of our residents,” says Steve Harrison, who runs Orange County’s Mosquito Management division.

Spraying will occur within the evenings and may take one or two nights. Brevard County can be spraying areas close to I-95. Flagler County can be spraying west of A1A and areas west of US-1. Orange County has their goal zones in Apopka, Hunter’s Creek and east Orlando. “It is on the outskirts we get into areas which are wider that we won’t get good protection with our truck sprays that we love to do the aerial sprays as a result of we’ve a better percentages of mosquitoes in these areas,” Harrison says.

The US EPA says the sprays are usually not dangerous to people or pets. Public well being officers say apart from leaving itchy purple bites, mosquitoes additionally transmit harmful illnesses. “What we see is encephalitis, jap equine encephalitis, we’ve seen zika, which is actually dangerous for pregnant girls, and west Nile virus, which could be considerably extra commonplace in Florida,” says Dr. Todd Husty, Seminole County Medical Director.

County officers are additionally asking individuals to do their half, by protecting up or draining out any standing water on their properties.