Vector control officials warn Stanton residents to prepare for an active mosquito season

Laurie Young, district manager of the Orange County Vector and Mosquito Control District, told the Stanton City Council on April 8 that Orange County should prepare for an increased risk of mosquito‑borne disease this year and outlined measures residents and the district can take to reduce transmission.

Young summarized 2024 surveillance and disease trends and said the county recorded a relatively low West Nile virus year last season but noted a rise in local dengue cases regionally. "In 2024, we had 57 [dengue] cases," she said, adding that counties surrounding Orange County have recorded local transmission and that "it's just sort of a matter of time when Orange County gets their first local case." Young said the district anticipates continued travel‑related dengue cases and is preparing to escalate response if local transmission appears.

The district manager described its core services — outreach, lab testing, field operations and targeted control — and emphasized source reduction as the most effective prevention tactic. "If we don't have water, we don't have mosquitoes," Young said, urging residents to tip out standing water, remove unneeded containers and use repellent.

Young also described control programs the district uses, including larvicides, adulticide when thresholds are met, biological controls such as mosquito fish for larger water features, and a five‑year sterile insect technique (SIT) pilot underway in Mission Viejo. She said the SIT project is in year three and that irradiated male mosquitoes will be released in May or June 2025 as part of the trial. "We're basically using mosquitoes to combat mosquitoes," she said, noting the method does not rely on pesticides and can avoid resistance in mosquito populations.

Council members and residents asked practical questions about backyard fountains, pools and the district's monitoring approach. Young recommended BTI granules for many fountains and said the district can provide mosquito fish for larger water features. She described the district's monitoring process: the agency purchases aerial imagery, applies an AI model to identify probable problem pools, and then has inspectors verify conditions on the ground. Residents may report green pools anonymously to the district for investigation.

Young closed by urging community cooperation: the district maintains about 70 staff to serve roughly 3.2 million residents countywide and cannot access every private yard. "We need everybody's help to talk to neighbors... because we can only combat these mosquitoes if we work together," she said.

The council did not take any formal action on the presentation. Council members asked staff to share district guidance on the city's website and to follow up on signage for service trucks.