Michelle Corson with Kern County Public Health Department joined Sunrise to talk everything mosquitoes, West Nile Virus, and Zika.
Summer months bring increased mosquito activity and Corson shared the following tips and facts:
What is the big deal about mosquitoes?
More deaths are associated with mosquitoes than any other animal on the planet!
Only females bite us (need protein for eggs)- males feed on flower nectar.
Kern County:
Mosquitoes carry diseases and can cause many health issues such as West Nile virus and Zika.
In Kern County the Culex mosquito is common – carries West Nile virus.
Fortunately, we only have detected minimal amount of Aedes mosquito, which transmits Zika virus.
What is West Nile virus?
Transmitted to humans and animals by bite of an infected mosquito.
Most people infected with WNV do not have symptoms.
1 in 5 will develop symptoms such as fever, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash.
Few (1 in 150 people) develop severe illness affecting central nervous system such as encephalitis or meningitis.
How many people are affected locally by WNV?
30 reported cases in 2017 and 1 death
1 case so far in 2018
What are some tips to protect you and your family?
Protect yourselves:
- Apply EPA registered mosquito repellant on exposed skin (not safe for babies 2 months and younger)
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants whenever you are outdoors – especially dusk and dawn.
Protect your home and property:
- Do not allow water to collect and stagnate in flowerpots, fountains, pet bowls, or other containers. Mosquitoes only need 1 teaspoon of water to breed!
- Make sure that your doors and windows have tight-fitting screens in good repair.
What do we need to know about Zika virus?
No known local mosquito-borne transmission in California.
656 travel associated cases reported in California since 2015
6 travel associated cases in Kern since 2015
If you are pregnant, do not go to areas with risk of Zika. People who travel to areas with Zika (like Mexico), protect themselves from getting mosquito bites!