The Brief
- Three Lee County mosquito control helicopters are expected to take off from Tampa Executive Airport Wednesday morning to help fight Hillsborough County’s dengue outbreak.
- Hillsborough County has reported 170 locally acquired dengue cases, accounting for nearly 90% of Florida’s locally acquired infections this year.
- The deployment marks the latest regional response as neighboring counties share specialized equipment and personnel to slow the spread of the mosquito-borne virus.
TAMPA, Fla. – Three helicopters from the Lee County Mosquito Control District are expected to lift off from Tampa Executive Airport around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday to assist Hillsborough County’s mosquito control operations.
The aircraft and crews will stage at the airport before beginning aerial treatment missions aimed at reducing mosquito populations linked to dengue transmission.
Lee County officials say the district is one of the largest mosquito control agencies in the country and has extensive experience responding to mosquito-borne disease outbreaks. They say the deployment also highlights how mosquito control agencies share resources when public health is at risk.
The assistance comes as Hillsborough County continues expanding both aerial and ground mosquito treatments in response to the outbreak.
Hillsborough dengue outbreak
By the numbers:…