New signs of West Nile virus have surfaced this week in Contra Costa County, the Mosquito and Vector Control District said.
Groups of infected mosquitoes were found in traps in Martinez and Oakley, while an infected bird was found dead in Brentwood, the district said in a statement.
In response, the district is conducting additional inspections and mosquito surveillance in Oakley and Brentwood. In Martinez, the district is conducting adult mosquito control north of Pacheco Boulevard along the Martinez waterfront closest to the Benicia Bridge, according to officials with the district.
In addition to these mosquitoes and the dead bird, there have already been four groups of mosquitoes and five dead birds that have tested positive for the virus, and eight sentinel chickens have tested positive for antibodies in 2024, according to the district.
An East County man died from West Nile virus on July 16, marking the first death from the disease reported in Contra Costa County since 2006.
“It is important for residents to use an insect repellent if they are outdoors in the evening or early morning, and to report mosquito issues to the district because it only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to transmit West Nile virus to a person,” Steve Schutz, the district’s scientific program director, said in a statement.
To reduce the risk of a bite, the district recommends insect repellant with one of the following ingredients: DEET, Picaridin, the repellent version of Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, or IR3535.
Contra Costa County residents can report dead birds by phone at (877) 968-2473 or online. County residents can also request mosquito service for residential property by calling (925) 685-9301 or online.
10 comments
Much respect to our Contra Costa Public Health officials and to Vector Control for their diligent surveillance.
We’re burning citronella candles whenever we are on our patio mid-afternoon through dusk. We live in the 94521.
FYI studies have shown citronella to have little or no measurable deterrent effect. There are more effective alternatives, but my wife is a mosquito magnet and for us the Thermacell emitters are the best.
Every year they come out and tag our guava bushes looking for fruit flies and some other kind of fly and beetle …. very diligent
That’s CCC Dept. of Agriculture, not Vector Control.
West Nile isn’t the only virus to be concerned about.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg2m4knvxgo
Who did Fauci bite now?
bohica
We’re all gonna DIE!
It might be another 20 or 30 years for me……. but we’re all gonna DIE!
Aw, Heck, . . . . . just get the extension cord and that 1/2 acre coverage Bug Zapper.
Hint, they send along a packet of Mosquito attractant.
Some guys at work couldn’t figure out why Mosquitos liked them . . . . wipe on hard hat.
I got a bug zapper years ago. When I went to put it up on the patio and read the instructions it said don’t put it up if the neighbors have one. Indeed they did and the bigger model than mine. So mine is still sitting in a box. Having seen a mosquito around here in years.