Balmy summer days have arrived in Sacramento area. So have mosquitoes and West Nile risk
Testing for West Nile virus showed increased activity in Yolo County, so leaders of the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector District are urging residents not to let their guard down as they enjoy summer fun outdoors.
“While temperatures have cooled off significantly this week, we are still in the middle of summer and conditions are right for mosquitoes to continue breeding and posing a threat for disease transmission,” District Manager Gary Goodman said.
The district this week received laboratory results showing that nine mosquito samples and two dead birds tested positive for the disease in both urban and rural locations in Yolo County.
Physicians have reported five human cases of West Nile virus in California: three in Stanislaus County, one in Los Angeles County and one in Madera County.
“We must not let our guard down now and we should continue taking all the necessary precautions such as dumping stagnant water from around our home and wearing insect repellent while spending time outdoors,” Goodman said. “Both of these actions are critical to protect our health from West Nile.”
As many as 32 dead birds and 20 mosquito samples also have tested positive for West Nile around Sacramento County, according to California’s West Nile website. The vector district said Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Arden Arcade and other locations north of the American River Parkway have shown increased activity.
Placer County’s mosquito vector team reported positive tests in five mosquito samples at the West Nile site, and the Sutter-Yuba Mosquito Vector Control District found the illness in four mosquito samples in Sutter County.
Mosquitoes transmit the West Nile virus to humans, birds and horses when they bite them. The illness can cause high fever, headaches, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions and muscle weakness. There is no cure.
Most people will have no symptoms of the illness, but in the most serious cases, medical professionals provide supportive care to relieve pain and organ failure. West Nile is rarely spread person to person.
Dead birds may be a harbinger that the illness is in your neighborhood. Report them at 877-968-2473 or at westnile.ca.gov.
If you believe your property or one near your home has a mosquito infestation, you can call your vector control district – 800-429-1022 for Sacramento and Yolo counties, 888-768-2343 for Placer County, 530-621-5300 for El Dorado County, and 530-674-5456 for Sutter and Yuba counties.
In addition to the tips from Goodman, here are other measures vector districts say residents can take to ward off mosquitoes:
Avoid being outdoors at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.
Wear long sleeves and pants to limit exposed skin.
Make sure screens and doors in your home are well-maintained to limit entry avenues.
