Two cases of West Nile Virus have been confirmed in mosquitoes in San Joaquin County.
The San Joaquin County Mosquito and Vector Control District’s (District) mosquito-borne disease surveillance program confirmed West Nile Virus (WNV) positive mosquitoes in zip codes 95337 (Manteca) and 95366 (Ripon), which are along the southern border of San Joaquin County.
“This find is the earliest detection of WNV in mosquitoes since the 2004 inception of WNV in San Joaquin County,” said Aaron Devencenzi, Public Information Officer with the District. “It is imperative that people take necessary precautions to avoid mosquito bites as well as removing standing water on their properties.”
In response to the detection of WNV, the District will expand surveillance and control of local mosquito populations on all private and public lands within San Joaquin County.
Mosquito control activities include: making recommendations to property owners on methods to reduce mosquito breeding conditions; educating the public on mosquito prevention techniques, including the use of repellants; introducing mosquitofish to ponds, ditches, and other aquatic sites; and spraying areas where mosquitoes are found.
Residents of and visitors to San Joaquin County can reduce their risk of WNV and other mosquito-transmitted diseases by taking these precautions:
Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property that can support mosquito breeding; apply insect repellent containing the active ingredient DEET or Picaridin when outdoors, according to label instructions.
Also, avoid spending time outside when mosquitoes are most active, at dawn and dusk, and especially for the first two hours after sunset.
When outdoors, wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts and other protective clothing. Exclude mosquitoes from your home with tight fitting screens on doors and windows.
Contact your veterinarian for information on vaccinating equine against WNV.
Residents are also asked to report significant mosquito infestations to San Joaquin County Mosquito & Vector Control District at www.sjmosquito.org or by calling 209-982-4675, 1-800-300-4675.
Report dead birds and tree squirrels to 1-877-WNV-BIRD (1-877-968-2473) or
www.westnile.ca.gov.
