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The Collier Mosquito Control District aims to
suppress disease-carrying and nuisance mosquito
populations using safe and cost-effective methods.
Tracking mosquito-borne illnesses locally, statewide,
and globally is crucial for community health. While
Collier County has had one travel-related Dengue
case, Florida is seeing increased Dengue cases
compared to last year. Through June, Florida reported
244 travel-related and 10 local Dengue cases,
highlighting a significant rise in cases compared to the
previous year.
The Importance of Disease
Monitoring Throughout
the State and Country
B Y P A T R I C K L I N N
The majority of Dengue cases in Florida come from
Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, both of which
border Collier County and are hubs for international
travel. This highlights the importance of monitoring
the state of mosquito-borne diseases beyond the
District’s boundaries in order to stay prepared should
we find disease in our area.
In addition to Dengue, the World Health Organization
has issued an advisory about a new mosquito-borne
virus that has been found in Cuba. The Oropouche
virus, which has similar symptoms in humans to
Dengue, can be transmitted by mosquitoes that we
have here in Collier County. This virus was first found
in South America with the transmission happening
between sloths and humans via mosquito bites.
While the virus has not yet been found in the United
States, our proximity to the Caribbean and the high
numbers of visitors from that region to south Florida
means it is something we must keep our eyes on.
Disease monitoring is a vital component to protecting
our community through mosquito control. On top of
monitoring what health agencies are seeing
throughout the state and the world, the District tests
tens of thousands of mosquitoes weekly in our lab. If
disease is found, we promptly notify the Florida
Department of Health and schedule treatments and
increased testing in the areas around where the
disease-carrying mosquito was trapped.
Disease monitoring is a vital
component to protecting our
community.
As we approach the peak of the rainy season, we
typically see more mosquitoes that breed in small areas
of contained water, such as buckets, tires and any other
item that can hold water. Individuals can do their part
to protect safety and comfort by emptying these
containers and any other standing water they are able
to on their property. The District also provides other
resources, such as free mosquitofish, which can help
people keep their property safe. These resources can
be accessed by visiting our website at www.cmcd.org.
Anyone who would like to learn more about how we
monitor for diseases or would like a tour of the lab and
other facilities, can request a tour by emailing us at
info@cmcd.org.
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