West Nile Virus Linked To Foreclosures In San Gabriel Valley
SAN GABRIEL (CBS) — The first case of West Nile Virus has shown up in the San Gabriel Valley.
KNX 1070's Bob Brill reports health officials say a dead crow in West Covina near San Bernardino and Azusa Canyon Roads is the suspected source of the outbreak.
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The infected bird is the first to be found in Los Angeles County this year with the disease, which can lead to flu like symptoms in humans and in rare cases, death.
Kerry Middleton of the local Mosquito Control District said the economy is making the spread of the disease worse due to an abundance of dirty swimming pools in abandoned homes.
"There's tons of pools out there because of the increase in homes in foreclosure and people in financial straits let their pools go green," Middleton said.
"They are a significant problem of mosquitos in urban areas," she added.
Middleton's department is working with Pasadena police to conduct helicopter surveillance in the hunt for dirty swimming pools.
Violators could face fines up to $1,000 per day.
