Two more locally acquired cases of the mosquito-borne illness dengue have been detected in Baldwin Park residents, health officials said Wednesday, Sept. 18, calling the cases, and another reported last week, an “unprecedented” cluster in the region.
According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, none of the patients – all in Baldwin Park – had any history of travel to areas where dengue is endemic.
The cluster of three cases in Baldwin Park “is an unprecedented number of locally transmitted cases for a region where dengue has not previously been transmitted by mosquitoes,” according to DPH.
“These additional cases of local virus transmission are an important reminder for all of us in L.A. County that simple steps to prevent mosquito breeding and mosquito bites can lower the risk of mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and prevent more sustained transmission in the future,” said Barbara Ferrer, director of the Department of Public Health at a press briefing outside Baldwin Park City Hall.
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer asks residents to use bug repellent to protect against mosquitoes on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024 in Baldwin Park where three cases of dengue fever were found from infected Aedes “ankle biter” mosquitoes.(Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
In October and November of last year, single locally acquired cases of dengue were confirmed by health officials in Pasadena and Long Beach.
The illness is generally spread by a bite from an infected Aedes mosquito. Most patients never exhibit any symptoms, but one in four will develop signs including fever, nausea, vomiting, rash and aches and pains to the eyes, joints or bones.
One in 20 people with the symptomatic disease will develop severe dengue, which can be life-threatening. Severe disease can lead to severe bleeding, shock, respiratory failure, and organ impairment.
The symptoms generally last no more than a week, and people usually fully recover within two weeks. Deaths from the virus are extremely rare, health officials said.
Public Health officials said they are working with the city of Baldwin Park and the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District to offer public information about dengue and ways to prevent mosquito bites. The Vector Control District is also increasing mosquito-trapping efforts in the area.
Mosquitos have been tested in the area, and none have come back positive for dengue, said Jason Farned, district manager of the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District.
Testing and monitoring dengue is difficult, because of the nature of the virus and how it is spread. Farned was relieved that his teams are not finding mosquitos that are positive.
“Our main objective right now is to reduce the mosquito population as much as possible,” Farned said.
Dengue is not transmitted between mosquitos, said Farned. Instead, the mosquito picks it up from an infected person. Then it is transferred when a mosquito bites somebody else.
Dengue was initially introduced in California about 10 years ago and has been spreading up and down the state since. Climate change and severe weather impact mosquitoes’ ability to find new homes and get situated in new places, according to Farned.
A mosquito larvae sample is on hand during a Los Angeles County Department of Public Health press conference on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024 in Baldwin Park. Public health is asking residents to take precautions against bites from Aedes “ankle biter” mosquitoes after three cases of dengue fever were found in Baldwin Park. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The West Nile virus, a virus primarily transferred via mosquitoes, has also been a concern for Californians.
In other places in the U.S. where there have been dengue outbreaks, including Florida, Texas and Hawaii, the outbreaks have been small and limited.
“We know we have travelers, and the recent cluster indicates that there is local spread that’s occurring. So we need to be vigilant, and we need to act rapidly once we identify that,” said Aiman Halai, director of L.A. County Public Health’s Vector-Borne Disease Unit.
Mosquito surveillance is difficult to track and to test. Officials are unsure how many infected mosquitos are in the county.
“There’s no way to say,” Farned said.
The best way to protect yourself from the virus is to cover up and regularly reapply insect repellent, officials said.
While there is a dengue vaccine, Halai said it is recommended only for children between 9 and 16 years of age who have had dengue in the past and are living in areas where dengue is currently circulating. It is not recommended for adults or those who are not living in dengue areas.
As temperatures continue to drop in the coming months, officials are confident that mosquito populations will crash.
Once nighttime temperatures drop below 50 degrees, the growth cycle for mosquitoes slows down too much for them to reproduce.
Despite mosquitos liking warmer weather, the heat wave earlier this month actually stressed out the mosquito population rather than increased it.
“You know, the hotter it is outside, once we get into triple digits, mosquitoes don’t like the heat either,” Farned said.
The nuisance population decreased during warmer temperatures this month, but they are still growing in backyards and in other water sources.
Most mosquitos grow in very small containers of water. Even a bottle cap of water is enough for a mosquito to grow from an egg, larva, pupa to an adult.
Lush backyards also include the perfect ingredients for a mosquito to rest comfortably, water, warmth and shade.
“Protecting our community is a shared responsibility and I encourage all residents to take practical steps to safeguard themselves and their families,” Baldwin Park Mayor Emmanuel Estrada said.
City News Service contributed to this article.