After collecting samples of mosquitoes from two San Fernando Valley communities, the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District both tested positive for West Nile virus, officials said in a release on Friday.
Both samples were from Sherman Oaks and Porter Ranch, following a mosquito which also tested positive last week from Panorama City.
West Nile activity is off to a slow start, though it won’t be the case as the temperature rises and mosquitoes start to reproduce, according to the release.
“Last year, by the end of week 29, we already had 43 positive samples reported,” said Susanne Kluh, director of scientific technical services.
One of the major goals of the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District is to prevent the transmission of diseases from mosquitoes to humans and to protect property from being financially compromised due to disease-carrying insects, according to their website.
The District will manage water-holding areas such as gutters, ditches, basins, storm drains channels, nonfunctioning pools and ponds. Residents and business owners need to look out for drains in the yard or parking spaces, air conditioner drip pans/buckets, rain barrels, nonfunctioning swimming pools, rain barrels, old tires and plant, which should all be sealed or drained to prevent mosquito access
Symptoms of West Nile include fever, headache, body aches, nausea or a skin rash. More serious symptoms include muscle weakness, a high fever, stiff neck, coma, paralysis and possibly death. One in 150 infected individuals will require hospitalization.
For any questions or more information, call the District at (562) 944-9656 or go to glacvcd.org.
The above information was obtained by The Signal via a news release provided by the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District.
