Crime & Public Safety
Lee County Mosquito Control Deploys Helicopters to Support Hillsborough Dengue Response
Lee County Mosquito Control pilots deployed helicopters to Hillsborough County to conduct aerial mosquito treatments as part of a statewide response to a dengue outbreak. The action accompanied Hillsborough County’s state of emergency declaration on Sept. 24 related to a surge in locally acquired dengue cases.
Chronology: Lee County crews flew to Tampa on a Wednesday to treat mosquito-prone neighborhoods after Hillsborough officials ramped up control measures. Hillsborough is coordinating expanded efforts statewide; it is paying Lee County for chemicals and fuel used in the treatments. Lee County personnel continue routine treatments in their own county while providing assistance offsite.
Agency action and roles: The Florida Department of Health and Hillsborough Mosquito Management have reported a substantial number of locally acquired dengue cases in Hillsborough this year, prompting coordinated aerial and ground treatments. Lee County supplied pilots and aircraft to apply mosquito control products in urban and saltmarsh-adjacent areas identified by Hillsborough officials.
Allegations versus documented facts and current status: Health officials have characterized the outbreak in Hillsborough as unprecedented and attribute widespread mosquito breeding to recent heavy rains and industrial conditions; those characterizations come from Hillsborough Mosquito Management and the state health department. Lee County has not reported locally acquired dengue cases and has provided material and operational support; Lee County crews plan to return for additional treatments next week. No arrests, injuries, or criminal allegations are part of this public-health response.
More Lee County news · Request a correction or case update
All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.