1st West Nile virus fatality in Contra Costa County since 2006 reported on July 16
CONCORD -- A Contra Costa County man has died from West Nile virus -- the first reported county death from the disease since 2006.
Contra Costa Health said Friday in a statement that the victim lived in East County. The death was reported to the county on July 16.
The Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District has detected other recent evidence of the virus' presence in East County. One bird and five sentinel chickens have tested positive for the virus in Oakley.
"This is a tragedy, and we offer our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones for their loss." said Dr. Meera Sreenivasan, deputy county health officer. "This death also reinforces how important it is to reduce risk of West Nile virus infection by reducing our exposure to mosquitos."
Contra Costa Health hasn't determined where the man became infected. To preserve medical privacy, the county health agency said said it won't release further details about the case.
The county said certain birds can become infected with West Nile virus, and when a mosquito feeds on an infected bird, the mosquito can become infected. An infected mosquito can spread the virus to a human or other animal through a single bite. The infection can be dangerous to humans, with symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, or rash.
West Nile virus is typically more active during summer. To reduce the risk of mosquito bites, the district recommends using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency registered insect repellents containing at least one active ingredient, such as DEET, Picaridin, the repellent version of oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535.
Always follow the instructions on the label when using insect repellent. Wearing long sleeves and pants when outdoors where mosquitoes are present, often at dawn and dusk, can reduce exposed skin and reduce the risk of mosquito bites.
People should dump any amount of standing water in front yards and backyards and scrub the inside of each container to remove mosquito eggs.
The district provides public health services to Contra Costa residents, including mosquito inspection and control upon request. Call (925) 685-9301 or go to www.contracostamosquito.com. Click on "I Want to" at the top of the webpage, then select "Request Services" from the drop-down menu.
Contra Costa County residents can help identify areas of potential disease risk by reporting dead birds to the California Dead Bird Call Center at (877) 968-2473 or at westnile.ca.gov. Dead birds are often the first sign of West Nile virus in a particular area.
By reporting dead birds, residents provide the district with critical information, allowing it to set mosquito traps near the site of the dead bird to look for infected mosquitoes. If those mosquitos are found, the district will take timely action to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne disease for neighboring residents.