Amid national surge, officials find 1st West Nile mosquito sample in Yolo County
As West Nile virus cases across the country surge to the highest levels in years, officials said Monday that the first Yolo County mosquito sample of the season tested positive for the virus.
The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District said in a news release that the mosquito sample was found Monday in Madison, a small unincorporated town in Yolo County, just east of Esparto.
Also on Monday, four mosquito samples and five dead birds tested positive for the virus in Sacramento County, raising the total reported to 24 mosquito samples and 38 dead birds this season. Many of the mosquito samples and dead birds were found in the eastern half of Sacramento and northeast to Arden Arcade and Carmichael, according to the Control District’s virus activity map.
Two dead birds have also tested positive for West Nile virus in Yolo County — one in Woodland and one in West Sacramento.
Last week, the Control District reported its first human case of the virus this year in a Sacramento County woman in her 60s.
“West Nile virus activity is steadily building across our region as we move through the peak of mosquito season,” Gary Goodman, Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District manager, said in the news release. “A human case reminds us that West Nile virus is definitely present in our communities and that mosquito prevention is more important than ever.”
Are West Nile cases on the rise?
Reported human cases of West Nile are the highest they have been at this point in mosquito season since 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last Wednesday.
Mosquito season typically ranges from May to October, with West Nile cases peaking in August.
By the end of June, about 10 human cases are typically reported to the CDC. However, this year at least 48 cases have been reported thus far, with at least 38 causing severe symptoms.
Twenty-three states had reported West Nile virus activity (including cases in mosquito samples, birds and other animals) by the end of June, the highest number in the last 10 years, the CDC said.
At least 32 cases have been reported in Arizona alone, including at least four deaths, making up the majority of human cases this season.
What are the symptoms?
West Nile virus is typically transmitted to humans through mosquito bites and is not life-threatening most of the time, according to the CDC.
About 2,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with West Nile virus in a typical year, which the CDC said is an underestimation because only one in five individuals that get West Nile develop symptoms.
The most common symptoms, according to the CDC, include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Joint pain
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Rashes
Symptoms typically start between two and six days after being bitten by a mosquito and typically go away quickly, with fatigue occasionally extending a few weeks or months, the CDC said.
Less than 1% of those infected with West Nile disease will develop severe illness affecting the central nervous system, which can result in hospitalization or death, according to the CDC.
Symptoms that go along with the more severe form of the disease include:
- High fever
- Headache
- Neck stiffness
- Stupor
- Disorientation
- Muscle weakness
The CDC said about 10% of the people that develop the more severe symptoms die. Recovery typically takes weeks or months and could have some permanent effects.
Those older than 65, with chronic medical conditions or with a weakened immune system are more likely to develop the severe symptoms, the CDC said.
How can I stay protected?
There is no specific way to treat West Nile disease, and no vaccines available to prevent it.
The best way to avoid contracting West Nile, according to the CDC, is to limit mosquito bites.
Here are some tips officials shared:
- Use insect repellent
- Wear long, loose-fitting shirts and pants
- Avoid being outside during dusk and dawn
- Use screens on windows and doors
- Drain standing water that could produce mosquitoes
Officials advise anyone who thinks they may have the disease to visit their doctors and get tested.
The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District can also be reached at 800-429-1022 and more information is available on its website, www.FIGHTtheBITE.net.
