In order to proactively address any further findings of invasive Aedes mosquitoes in Alameda County, the District has prepared an Invasive Aedes Mosquito Response Plan.  This document covers a variety of scenarios and the operational procedures that will guide the District's response.  Invasive Aedes mosquitoes ( i.e. Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus) are very different from our native mosquito species.  They are container breeding mosquitoes that thrive in urban settings.  These day biting black and white mosquitoes can breed in as little as a bottle cap of water in both indoor and outdoor locations. Unlike or native mosquitoes,  Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus can spread dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika.  The District's response plan addresses the combination of surveillance, control, public education, and interagency coordination efforts put forth for pre-detection and post-detection of invasive Aedes mosquitoes. 

Along with this new response plan, the District has also updated its response plan for West Nile virus.  With over a decade of West Nile virus activity in Alameda County, surveillance, control, and public education for West Nile virus are very much a part of the day to day operations.  The Mosquito-borne Arbovirus Response Plan has been updated to reflect the current situation.

The full documents are available on our website.

 
ACMAD's Response Plans

This summer local transmission of Zika virus was discovered in Florida.  At this point, this is the only known area where the virus has been spread domestically.  Although there are many communities in California where the mosquitoes capable of transmitting Zika have been found, the disease has not been spread locally here.  Hundreds of California residents have acquired Zika virus in 2016 while travelling abroad so it is important to always protect yourself from mosquito bites wherever you may be.

Zika virus cases in the United States (http://www.cdc.gov/zika/intheus/maps-zika-us.html)

   

What you can do help keep invasive Aedes mosquitoes out of Alameda County:

If you will be traveling to an area with Zika virus:

Zika is linked to birth defects. Pregnant women should consider postponing travel to any area with Zika. If your male partner travels to these areas, either use condoms or don't have sex for the rest of your pregnancy.

  
Additional Resource from the CDC

West Nile virus (WNV) activity continues to increase throughout California. In Alameda County, a total of 11 birds (all American crows) and 2 mosquito samples have tested positive for WNV in 2016.  Fall is typically the peak of West Nile virus activity in the state.  Reporting dead birds to the West Nile virus hotline (877-WNV-BIRD) is crucial to our WNV surveillance program in Alameda County.  The hotline will remain staffed through October 14th. Internet reporting for dead birds is available year round at http://www.westnile.ca.gov/report_wnv.php. Statewide a total of 1,283 dead birds, 3,249 mosquito samples, 296 sentinel chickens, and 276 humans have tested positive for WNV.  Nine WNV related human fatalities have also been reported.  The totals for California's WNV activity are updated weekly and can be found at  www.westnile.ca.gov. 

*Data as of September 30, 2016

Alameda County WNV Activity

	June	July	August
Total calls received (% difference*)	205 (+13.8)	109 (-30.4)	112 (-8.2)
Mosquito biting reports (% difference*)	73 (+71.4)	41 (+28.7)	29 (+4.6)
Mosquitofish requests (% difference*)	100 (-2.5)	100 (+24.6)	45 (-22.7)
Mosquito biting & mosquitofish call (% difference*)	0 (-200)	0 (-200)	0 (-200)
Preventative calls  (% difference*)	26 (-40.5)	26 (+36)	38 (+6.5)
Miscellaneous / insect identifications (% difference*)	5 (+127.9)	0 (-200)	0 (-200)
Dead birds tested / # of positives	11/ 0	15 / 7	12 / 3
Mosquito samples tested / # of positives	27 / 0	50 / 2	14 / 0

* from 10 year average

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