Two More Mosquito Traps test positive for West Nile virus in Lancaster, CA
Lancaster, CA, September 3rd, 2019: Mosquitoes collected from two more mosquito traps in Lancaster have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). One trap was near 30th Street West and Avenue L and the other near 25th Street West and Avenue J-4. The mosquito samples were tested at the West Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District laboratory.
“Several areas in the Antelope Valley are showing concentrations of WNV activity. This brings the total positive WNV detections to 5 for the 2019 mosquito season,” said Karen Mellor, Entomologist at the Antelope Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District.
Hot weather is ideal to breed mosquitoes quickly. Stagnant water turns green more quickly and mosquitoes can go from egg to adult in just 5 days. The District wants to remind the community that mosquito control is a shared responsibility of the property owner and the AVMVCD. If both parties do their part to get rid of or treat standing water, the entire community will benefit from less mosquitoes and less chances of mosquito-borne diseases, such as West Nile virus. AVMVCD personnel has been conducting intensive searches of the entire District to keep mosquito populations low and reduce the chances of residents getting ill. This includes door to door pool inspections of properties with pools to ensure they are either clean and maintained or completely dry.
People bitten by an infected mosquito may develop West Nile fever and experience flu- like symptoms that can include fever, body aches, skin rash, and fatigue. In some people, West Nile fever can develop into a more serious form of the disease.
The District also urges residents to do their part to protect themselves from mosquito bites by following these recommendations:
• Check property for standing water and get rid of it • When mosquitoes are active, use EPA registered insect repellents that contain one of these main ingredients: (DEET, Picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, IR3535)
• Avoid going outside in the hours around dawn and dusk when mosquitoes that can transmit West Nile virus are most active. • Make sure your screens on windows and doors are in good repair • Check around faucets and air conditioner units, and repair leaks or puddles that remain for several days • Report stagnant pools and other backyard sources to the AVMVCD at 661-942-2917 • Report dead birds by calling 1-877-WNV-BIRD (877-968-2473) or online at www.westnile.ca.gov As of 8/30/19 the California Department of Public Health has reported that 91 dead birds, 2,516 mosquito samples, 53 Sentinel chickens and 57 humans have tested positive for West Nile virus across 26 counties in California. At this time last year, there were 397 dead birds, 1,456 mosquito samples, 84 Sentinel chickens and 42 humans across 36 counties that tested positive for WNV.
To stay up-to-date on new West Nile Virus activity in the Antelope Valley and any mosquito related information visit our website at www.avmosquito.org, Facebook page
(https://www.facebook.com/avmosquito), and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @AVMosquito. For any further questions or services please feel free to contact the Antelope Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District by phone (661-942-2917).