Orange County, Florida – While Orange County Mosquito Control, a division of the Orange County government, continues to combat mosquitoes that may transmit dengue fever, two travel-related cases of the Oropouche virus have now been identified in Orange County.

Mosquito Control crews are working day and night, spraying residential areas and educating residents on mosquito prevention after the Florida Department of Health in Orange County (FDOH) notified the department of the two dengue cases in the Lockhart-Rosemont area.

“The emergence of the Oropouche virus is a cause for concern, even if the cases are travel-related,” said Steve Harrison, manager of Orange County Mosquito Control. “It underscores the interconnectedness of global health and the potential for mosquito-borne diseases to spread to other parts of the world. We have intensified our efforts to control the mosquito population and prevent the spread of the Oropouche virus, just as we have done to contain the spread of dengue fever. Our goal is to protect the health of Orange County residents and visitors.”

The Oropouche virus is a mosquito-borne disease that was first identified in Trinidad and Tobago in 1955:

• The disease is currently endemic in the Amazon basin, but outbreaks have recently occurred in countries outside this region, including Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba and Peru.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health alert on August 16, 2024, regarding travel-related cases of the Oropouche virus in the Americas, and reported over 8,000 cases since January 1, 2024, two of which resulted in death.

Orange County residents who are experiencing a mosquito problem at home or in their community can contact Mosquito Control by calling Orange County’s 311 hotline and reporting the problem.