West Nile Virus Infected Mosquito Sample Found in Signal Hill, Also In Whittier

(July 23, 2010) -- The Greater L.A. County Vector Control District says it has confirmed West Nile Virus (WNV) in a mosquito sample from the City of Signal Hill, as well as from a sample in the City of Whittier.

Health authories have said residents should treat WNV as if it's everywhere, because it's now basically endemic the area.

WNV is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. There's no cure for West Nile Virus, LB's Dept. of Health & Human Services says about one in five people exhibit symptoms which usually occur within 5-15 days and can include fever, body aches, rash, nausea, vomiting and headache.

About one in 150 people develop more serious neurological diseases, including encephalitis (brain inflammation) or paralysis that require hospitalization; severe symptoms can include high fever, muscle weakness, neck stiffness, coma, paralysis -- and possibly death -- and LB's Health Dept. urges anyone displaying such symptoms to seek immediate care. Those at highest risk for severe cases of West Nile virus are the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, says LB's Health Dept.

The virus arrived locally in 2004 and hit LB hard (especially ELB and SE LB). An elderly woman in the area of Clark Ave/Wardlow Rd. died of WNV...and dead crows (a species for whom WNV is virtually always fatal) were visible throughout LB and SE L.A. County.

Its incidence abated in subsequent years, but authorities continue to remind residents to treat the virus seriously by taking precautions against mosquito bites and abating areas where mosquitoes can breed.

Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water in hot summer weather, creating the mechanism that spreads the virus. Infected mosquitoes bite birds, infecting them, which can travel long distances in which they're bitten by new mosquitoes that acquire the virus and spread WNV further...including to humans.

The Greater L.A. County Vector Control District (handles mosquito control in much of LB east of Lakewood Blvd.) and the City of LB (vector control in most of the rest of LB except NW LB handled by Compton) are visible in summer months, treating these areas to try and disrupt mosquito breeding.

The Greater LA County Vector Control Districts says residents can reduce the risk of mosquito bites through the use of CDC-approved insect repellents, by wearing long sleeve shirts and pants in areas where mosquitoes might be present, and avoiding outdoor activities between dusk and dawn.

It says residents can follow "the 3 D’s of West Nile virus prevention":

• Dump/Drain: eliminate standing water because that’s where mosquitoes breed

• Dusk/Dawn: Avoid outdoor activities when mosquitoes are most active

• Defend: Wear CDC approved insect repellent and long-sleeve shirts and pants when outdoors. Utilize properly fitted and well maintained screens on windows and doors around your home.

Health authorities say the best defense is prudent personal self-defense. LB Public Health Officer Dr. Helene Calvet issued the following advisory at the start of the Memorial Day Weekend/start of summer, encouraging all LB residents to protect themselves by taking the following precautions: