West Nile virus was detected in Contra Costa County, the Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Management District mentioned Monday.
The district mentioned a California scrub jay in San Ramon examined constructive for the pathogen — the primary fowl within the county to check constructive for West Nile virus this yr, although each Alameda and Santa Clara counties have additionally reported contaminated birds in 2025.
The district mentioned contaminated birds are sometimes the primary signal of West Nile virus in Contra Costa County.
“We typically start seeing West Nile-positive birds and mosquitoes in Contra Costa County around this time of year,” mentioned Steve Schutz, the district’s scientific program supervisor, in a information launch. “Our neighboring counties have been reporting positive samples for several weeks now. As the weather warms up, the risk of human cases will continue to increase.”
Based on the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, West Nile virus is the main reason for mosquito-borne illness in the USA. Mosquitoes can unfold the virus to people after feeding on birds that carry the contagion.
There are not any vaccines to forestall or medicines to deal with West Nile in individuals, the CDC mentioned, however most contaminated individuals don’t really feel sick and solely about 1 in 5 individuals develop a fever and different signs, together with headache, physique aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.
Based on the CDC, solely about 1 out of 150 contaminated individuals develop a critical, generally deadly, sickness. Folks older than age 60 and people with weakened immune techniques usually tend to get critically sick, the California Division of Public Well being warns.
There have been three human circumstances of West Nile virus in California this yr, with one deadly case, the state public well being division mentioned. There have been 132 human circumstances in 2024, 12 of which had been deadly.
The Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Management District suggested residents to dump out standing water — the place mosquitoes lay their eggs — not less than as soon as every week to scale back the danger of mosquito bites and reduce down on the general mosquito inhabitants. The district additionally really helpful utilizing an EPA-registered insect repellent to scale back the danger of mosquito bites and to report useless birds at 877-968-2473.
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