Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

West Nile virus continues to spread

SAN DIEGO — County Vector Control officials announced that during the week of October 6-12 alone, 17 dead birds and one batch of mosquitoes tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). No new cases in humans or horses have been confirmed for that week.

The mosquitoes and dead birds, including 13 American crows, two Western scrub jays, one Cooper’s hawk and one great horned owl, were found in Bay Park, Clairemont, El Cajon, Escondido, Fallbrook, Jamul, La Jolla, La Mesa, Mira Mesa, Ramona, Santa Ysabel, Torrey Hills and Vista.

At this time, statistics for 2008 include: 23 human cases (22 locally acquired cases, one non-locally acquired case), 497 dead birds, 13 positive sentinel chickens, four horse deaths, one infected horse and 38 positive mosquito batches.

To protect against WNV, experts recommend using insect repellent when outdoors, especially at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active; using insect repellent with DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535; not sleeping outside unprotected; wearing long sleeves and pants; ensuring screens on windows and doors fit tightly and have no holes or other damage; checking property weekly for mosquito breeding sources (go to http://www.sdfightthebite.com for a mosquito prevention checklist); and reporting neglected, green swimming pools to County Vector Control.

For more information, call the county’s WNV information line at (888) 551-4636.

 

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