This is the first locally acquired case of dengue virus in California that is not associated with travel, according to Manuel Carmona, the city of Pasadena's acting director of Public Health. It is "instead an extremely rare case of local transmission in the continental United States," and is spread by infected mosquito bites, Carmona said.
"The Pasadena Public Health Department is conducting surveillance, and field teams have visited a Pasadena neighborhood to offer information for preventing mosquito breeding around their homes and preventing bites," he said.
Based on years of surveillance and testing, Carmona said that this is "likely" an isolated incident, but the Pasadena Health Department has taken steps to ensure that it doesn't spread.
"The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District has deployed traps to assess the mosquito population and, importantly, testing to date has not identified any Dengue infected mosquitos. Testing of mosquitos from additional traps will continue over the next few weeks. There is a very low risk of additional dengue exposure in the city."
Comment: See also: