English Bulldog Puppies for Sale in Escondido, CA

San Diego County health officials Sunday reported their first case of locally acquired dengue virus, contracted by an Escondido resident.

The person who became sick did not travel to an area where the virus was common, officials said. No additional locally acquired cases have been identified, although there have been at least 49 reported cases of travel- related dengue in the county this year, according to officials.

"While the risk of widespread transmission of dengue remains low in San Diego County, County Public Health and Vector Control are working closely to respond quickly to prevent mosquitoes from spreading the illness in this area," said Dr. Ankita Kadakia, county interim public health officer.

To prevent the disease from spreading, County Vector Control began spraying for mosquitoes at about 170 homes in Escondido this weekend, with treatments that began Friday and will continue until Oct. 10, officials said.

Vector Control did similar treatments in Oceanside in September and in the Mount Hope area of San Diego in July. Both treatments were initiated as a precaution to prevent potential local spread of dengue due to travel- associated dengue cases and the high numbers of Aedes mosquitoes in the neighborhoods.

Dengue is a tropical viral disease that is not commonly found in the United States. Since the invasive Aedes mosquitoes were first detected in San Diego County in 2014, there had been no locally acquired case of dengue until now.

Dengue is spread when a mosquito bites an infected person and then feeds on another person. It can take four to seven days for someone who is bitten by a mosquito infected with dengue to start feeling symptoms. Dengue can be determined by a blood test.

UC San Diego 6 hours ago

The most common symptoms are fever, chills, aches and pains, nausea, vomiting and rashes. Symptoms can be moderate and last two to seven days. Most people recover after about a week. Symptoms can also become severe and deadly, which include shock and respiratory distress and can require hospitalization. There are no specific medicines to treat dengue.

Day-biting Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, also known as "ankle-biters," are the primary transmitter of dengue. These mosquitoes like to live and breed around people, often in yards and in small amounts of water.

How to prevent and protect yourself from mosquitoes

Officials advised these tips on how to prevent and protect from mosquitoes:

County technicians began working to reduce the number of adult mosquitoes that can spread dengue by applying AquaDuet, a pesticide approved for use by the Environmental Protection Agency, using ultra-low-volume backpack sprayers in focused areas and trucks to apply the product to a wider part of the area.

Additionally, the county began by informing residents and leaving door hangers at homes in the treatment area Friday. Treatment boundaries along with additional information can be found on Vector Control's adult mosquito control webpage.

Dengue virus is a disease carried by mosquitos. The person who got is is recovering after being hospitalized. NBC 7's Dana Williams reports.

The treatment product is low-risk to people and pets and dissipates in roughly 20 to 30 minutes. People in the area can avoid or minimize their exposure to the pesticide by taking simple steps:

Beekeepers and those with insects kept outdoors were encouraged to shelter hives and habitats during treatments. Beekeepers registered with the County's Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures can request to receive advance notice when a pesticide that may affect bees is applied to blossoming plants in their areas.

Normal activities may resume after 30 minutes of the treatment.

Los Angeles County recently reported five cases of locally contracted dengue this year. Long Beach and Pasadena had their first cases of locally acquired dengue in late 2023.

Copyright City News Service

Big Lots is making waves with the announcement that it will close nearly 50 more stores nationwide in October, including several in California.

The retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this year and has since announced several waves of closures. According to a bankruptcy court filing submitted at the end of September, the retailer is closing 49 more locations across the country, in October on top of the nearly 300 closures announced in August.

Of those, 10 Big Lots locations are on the list for closures in California.

What new Big Lots locations in California are closing?

According to the full list, on USA Today, here are the 10 new stores closing in California:

Why is Big Lots closing?

Like many others, the retailer has grappled with declining sales amid rising prices and a downturn in consumer spending. According to the financial disclosure, sales dropped 10.2% between the first quarters of 2023 and 2024, equating to a loss of about $114.5 million.

The company also took on an additional $72.2 million, bringing the total from $501.6 million in the first quarter of 2023 to $573.8 million for the first quarter of this year. The company also said it had "substantial doubt" about its ability to continue operating, leading to speculation of a potential bankruptcy filing.

Are Big Lots doing a going-out-of-business sale?

Yes, many of the locations above are having going-out-of-business sales. Some of the sales are 60% to 70% off. Check the websites for the latest offers.