PETALUMA — The first dead bird in the North Bay infected with the West Nile Virus this year was found in Sonoma County, officials said Friday.
The dead American crow was found in the area of South McDowell Blvd. and Casa Grande Rd. in Petaluma, according to the Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District.
“This positive dead bird is a reminder that West Nile virus is endemic to our region,” said district spokesperson Nizza Sequeira in a press statement. “As we head into fall, we urge the public to continue to look for and eliminate standing water in their yards, stock permanent ponds with mosquitofish, and protect themselves from mosquito bites.”
The district said staffers will continue to trap, test, and monitor the abundance of adult mosquitoes in the area where the positive dead bird was found. The district is also reviewing all documented sources of mosquito production and searching for new sources.
The district along with the California Department of Public Health recommend using a mosquito repellent with one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Para-menthane-diol (PMD), or oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE). Areas of stagnant water should also been cleared; bird baths and animal water bowls at least twice a week to minimize the areas where mosquitos develop.
Since 2003, there have been more than 7,000 human cases of West Nile virus and 300 deaths in California, and the virus is almost always spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, according to the state Department of Public Health.
Most people won’t show any symptoms and won’t know they have been infected. Those who do get infected will have symptoms including fever, headache and body aches, nausea, and vomiting. Fatigue and weakness may last for weeks or months for some.
People over the age of 60 and with pre-existing medical conditions are most at risk of developing more severe symptoms.
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