It’s that time of year again: Coastal Cleanup Day! On Friday, field operations supervisor Casey and seasonal staff members Evan, Devon, and Justin did their part to keep San Mateo County beautiful by removing some trash from the shoreline.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced today two confirmed deaths in California due to West Nile virus (WNV). The deceased persons were residents of Glenn county and Yuba county.
“We are still in a peak period of West Nile virus transmission in the state so we urge everyone to take every possible precaution to protect themselves against mosquito bites,” said CDPH Director and State Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith.
As of August 31, 2018, there have been 291 dead birds reported in San Mateo County. Of those, 91 have been suitable for testing and five have tested positive (5%) for West Nile virus (WNV). Additionally, two mosquito pools have tested positive for WNV, both from East Palo Alto. Positive birds and pools for 2018 are summarized in the tables below. No sentinel chickens have tested positive for West Nile Virus in San Mateo County in 2018, although a sentinel chicken in Santa Clara County, near the border with San Mateo County, tested positive in August.
The District laboratory has found no further sign of West Nile virus in mosquitoes trapped in areas of East Palo Alto after this week’s adult mosquito control treatment.
Here at the District, we examine hundreds of samples every year that are submitted by residents in response to some kind of irritation – a bite, a rash, or some other skin reaction. An entomologist from the District laboratory will work with the responding technician to find the culprit of the bites and help the resident develop a plan to stop the infestation. But what happens when those samples come back bug-free and no evidence of an infestation can be found?
