Overview

• State and county officials confirmed the detection near downtown Boulder Creek, following lab confirmation by the California Department of Public Health.
• Santa Cruz County Mosquito & Vector Control deployed specialized traps with human-scent lures, is sampling water for larvae, and is conducting door-to-door property inspections.
• Residents were urged to dump even small amounts of standing water, use EPA-registered repellents, repair window and door screens, and report daytime mosquito bites.
• Aedes aegypti is a small black-and-white, aggressive day-biting mosquito capable of transmitting dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever.
• The discovery fits a broader statewide pattern, with the species found in at least 26 counties and established in at least 19, and with local dengue cases reported in Los Angeles and San Diego counties in 2024.