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The City of South Pasadena recently won the 2019 Ultimate Champion for West Nile Virus Prevention Challenge.
The award is given out annually by the Los Angeles Department of Public Health and honors one agency for outstanding education and outreach on mosquito prevention practices.
“We are honored to be recognized by LA County for our ongoing outreach,” said Councilmember Khubesrian, who accepted the award on behalf of the city. “The City is committed to raising awareness and educating our residents on mosquito prevention practices, and we continue to look for opportunities to partner with the County and other agencies to get the word out about mosquito-borne disease prevention.”
The city was selected as the winner after successfully completing all of the County’s recommended West Nile Virus prevention activities, including partnering with its local vector control district, organizing a Dumpster Day and disseminating vital information at community events, through electronic media and information at city facilities.
The City took the challenge a step further by hosting the South Pasadena Bites Back Workshop and inviting San Gabriel Valley Vector Control to host an information table at the City’s Summer Concert Series.
West Nile Virus is a disease caused by the bites of infected mosquitoes. While not all mosquitoes carry this virus, the type of mosquito that spreads this virus is found throughout Los Angeles County.
In the last five years, the County has experienced yearly outbreaks of West Nile Virus with an average of 197 cases per year – which is approximately 10 percent of the national average. Despite significant health risks from West Nile Virus, mosquito prevention behaviors are still low among LA County residents.
