Pasadena Public Health Encourages Community to Take Action to Prevent Mosquito-Borne Diseases

Dengue rash (File Photo – United States Military)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health advisory notifying the public about the increased risk of dengue virus in the United States.

By News Desk

This year, a higher-than-normal number of cases of dengue have been identified in travelers. A person could also be infected with the dengue virus from an infected Aedes mosquito, a type of mosquito that inhabits Pasadena.

Dengue symptoms including fever, nausea, vomiting, rash, and body aches. Symptoms of dengue typically last two to seven days and most people recover after about a week.

 The Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD) recommends standard precautions for preventing all mosquito-borne illnesses, such as dengue, and urges the community to take simple steps to reduce mosquito populations and lower the risk of mosquito-borne diseases:

• Eliminate standing water in clogged rain gutters, rain barrels, discarded tires, buckets, watering troughs, and anything that holds water for more than a week.
• Maintain swimming pools, spas, and ponds.
• Change the water in pet dishes, birdbaths, and other small containers weekly.
• Report neglected swimming pools to your vector control district at glacvcd.org| 562-944-9656. District map is available at this link,

If you travel to a country that reports a higher-than-usual amount of dengue cases, you should pack insect repellent containing DEET®, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.

San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District conducts routine mosquito control activities in the Pasadena region. To find your local vector district agency and for tips on mosquito prevention and approved mosquito repellents, visit SoCalMosquito.org.

Additional information regarding dengue is available at the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.