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Seal Beach officials were notified Tuesday, Sept. 3. that West Nile Virus-infected mosquitoes were found in traps in Seal Beach.
In an email sent later that day, Assistant City Manager Patrick Gallegos said the city was aware of the samples found in town.
“The City of Seal Beach takes this matter very seriously and is working closely with Orange County Vector Control to inform residents and visitors,” Gallegos wrote.
“We encourage residents to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites, such as wearing long sleeves and pants, using insect repellent, and eliminating stagnant water sources around their homes. For more information on West Nile virus and prevention tips, please visit the Orange County Vector Control website at https://www.ocvector.org,” Gallegos wrote.
“Since I serve on the Board of Trustees for Orange County Mosquito Vector, I know we take these situations very seriously,” wrote District Five Councilman Nathan Steele.
“There are definite ways that the areas around traps containing West Nile are treated. It is a focused attack on the mosquito population and breeding areas. We can’t do it all on our own. We ask everybody to eliminate any standing water on their property where mosquitoes breed and grow,” Steele said.
Background
“The Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District has confirmed mosquito samples infected with West Nile virus (WNV) in the City of Seal Beach. The surveillance traps were set in an area of Seal Beach Blvd between 405 Freeway and Westminster,” according to an email from Lora Young, district manager of OC Vector Control.
The email was addressed to City Manager Jill Ingram, Assistant City Manager Patrick Gallegos, as well as the directors of Public Works, Community Development, the Seal Beach Police Department, and Seal Beach Leisure World officials, among others.
“At this time, please advise all residents, park guests, sports leagues, and outdoor event attendees to take precautions and wear mosquito repellent when mosquitoes are most active (dawn or dusk). Utilize any and all communication tools you may have to help encourage residents to check for standing water and protect themselves from mosquito bites. Please let me know so we can also follow and share your efforts,” Young wrote.
“The WNV map on our website will be updated and we will be posting the information on our social media sites and distributing it to our E-Alert Subscribers today between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Please forward this information to your Council Members and key city staff,” Young wrote.
“The District will be notifying Seal Beach Trustee Nathan Steele and all other agencies that need to be informed. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me,” Young wrote.
