West Nile Virus Spreads In The San Fernando Valley

LOS ANGELES, CA — The hot weather is just egging the mosquito season on, and officials Friday announced the spread of the West Nile Virus in the San Fernando Valley.

According to the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District, 11 new mosquito samples tested positive for West Nile virus. Mosquitos carrying the virus were found in Woodland Hills,Montebello, Santa Fe Springs, and South Whittier. In all, mosquitoes with West Nile Virus have been found within the district's service area to 25 this year. Already, they have been found in Northridge, Reseda, Canoga Park, Winnetka, Carson, Cerritos, Granada Hills, La Mirada, Lakewood, Long Beach, Montebello, Santa Fe Springs, Signall Hill, South Whittier, West Hills, and Woodland Hills.

People infected with the virus can experience a myriad of symptoms, ranging from no symptoms to seizures and death. West Nile virus is a leading cause of severe infections of the nervous system among adults older than age 50 in Los Angeles County. WNV is transmitted to people and animals through the bite of an infected mosquito. There is no cure for WNV.

One in five persons infected with the virus will exhibit symptoms, which can include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, or a skin rash. These symptoms can last for several days to months. One in 150 people infected with the virus will require hospitalization. Severe symptoms include high fever, muscle weakness, neck stiffness, coma, paralysis, and possibly death.

So far this year, 57 WNV human cases have been reported in California, four of which were identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

To protect yourself and your community, you can take the following steps:

• Eliminate standing water in clogged rain gutters, rain barrels, discarded tires, buckets, watering troughs or anything that holds water for more than a week;
• Ensure that swimming pools, spas, and ponds are properly maintained;
• Change the water in pet dishes, birdbaths and other small containers weekly;
• Request mosquitofish from your local vector control district for placement in ornamental ponds;
• Wear EPA-recommended insect repellent when outdoors where mosquitoes may be present;
• Report neglected (green) swimming pools in your neighborhood to your vector control district.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.