Mosquito Control Officials Urge Public to Remain Vigilant
Stanislaus County – Although Labor Day has come and gone, mosquito control officials want to keep the public aware that mosquito populations and West Nile virus activity have yet to reach their peak. To date, public health officials are reporting a total of five (5) cases of human West Nile virus in Stanislaus County, which is a marked decrease from the 12 human cases at this time last year. However, officials have recently noted a much higher prevalence rate of infected mosquitoes and birds over the last two weeks and are urging residents of Stanislaus County to continue to use mosquito repellants when outdoors.
People can use these simple steps to help people protect themselves and others from mosquito bites and
-Eliminate sources of standing water where mosquitoes lay their eggs. -Avoid spending time outside when mosquitoes are most active, at dawn and dusk, and especially for the first two hours after sunset. -Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts and other protective clothing when outdoors. -Exclude mosquitoes from your home with tight fitting screens on doors and windows. -Apply insect repellent containing the active ingredient DEET according to label instructions when outdoors. -Use insect repellants containing oil of lemon eucalyptus and Picaridin in addition to DEET-based products, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control.
The Districts continue to be concerned with neglected swimming pools and backyard ornamental ponds which can be a large source of mosquitoes in our communities. To help combat these backyard sources, mosquito fish are provided by both districts free of charge which can be placed in horse troughs, ornamental ponds, or out-of-use swimming pools.
According to officials, reporting and testing of dead birds is an important step in preventing West Nile virus. A confirmed case of the virus in dead birds or mosquito samples helps to identify areas that need treatment to reduce mosquito activity. To report a dead bird, call the California State hotline at 1-877-WNV-BIRD or report it online at www.westnile.ca.gov. Currently, only birds of the corvid family are being accepted for testing at this time: crows, ravens, magpies, and jays.
To report mosquito-breeding problem areas, Stanislaus County residents should contact one of the two mosquito abatement districts that serve the county. For Stanislaus County addresses north of the Tuolumne River, residents should call the Eastside Mosquito Abatement District at (209) 522-4098 (www.eastsidemosquito.com) and all others should contact the Turlock Mosquito Abatement District at (209) 634-1234 (turlockmosquito.org).
For more information on WNV, call the West Nile virus hotline at (209) 558-8425 to hear recorded information in both English and Spanish or visit www.stanemergency.com.
