The Brief
- The Pasco County Mosquito Control District is helping Hillsborough County fight the spread of locally acquired dengue fever with aerial mosquito treatments Thursday morning.
- Helicopters are scheduled to treat parts of the Wellswood, Riverside Heights and East Tampa neighborhoods beginning around 8 a.m., weather permitting.
- Officials say the operation is part of a broader regional response as multiple Tampa Bay area counties expand mosquito control efforts amid Florida’s largest cluster of locally acquired dengue cases.
TAMPA, Fla. – Residents in parts of Tampa can expect to see and hear low-flying helicopters Thursday morning as the Pasco County Mosquito Control District joins Hillsborough County’s response to locally acquired dengue fever.
Hillsborough dengue mosquito spraying
What we know:
The PCMCD is providing specialized aerial mosquito-control assistance in coordination with Hillsborough County Mosquito Management and public health officials as the region works to slow the spread of dengue.
Weather permitting, aerial operations are scheduled to begin around 8 a.m. Thursday over portions of the Wellswood, Riverside Heights and East Tampa neighborhoods.
Officials say helicopters will apply Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis), a naturally occurring bacterium that targets mosquito larvae before they become biting adults. The product is EPA-registered for mosquito control and officials say it does not harm people, pets, fish, birds or beneficial insects.…