West Nile virus spread in Butte County – Chico Enterprise-Record

CHICO – In Butte County, seven new pools of West Nile virus have been found while four sentinel chickens have tested positive for the virus. West Nile virus has caused one death in Butte County so far this year.

Butte County Mosquito and Vector Control District said the virus is considered “widespread” among mosquitoes in the county with 76 positive pools this year. The highest year on record was 2015 when 101 pools of mosquitoes with active cases of West Nile virus were found.

“2015 was the fourth year of drought,” said Matt Ball, district director of the Butte County Mosquito and Vector Control District. “You would think droughts mean fewer mosquitoes, so there should be fewer viruses. Well, here in Butte County, droughts actually mean the spread of the virus and that means more man-made water, flooding, and irrigations earlier than natural weather. In fact, we see more mosquitoes and more viruses in drought years than when we have a nice, cool, wet spring. “

In a typical year, the virus is active from June to October in Butte County and typically peaks in August. There have been at least eight confirmed cases of the virus and one death in California this year.

Ball said with temperatures this year being warmer than normal and an expected drop warmer than average, it’s hard to say when the West Nile will calm down.

“Without a lot of recoveries there has been a perfect combination of things that could lead to an increase in West Nile this year and we are in the middle of a pretty aggressive season,” said Ball. “I know a lot of people in our area are concerned about the smoke and where the fires are and what COVID is doing, but the only thing we have had every year since 2004 is West Nile virus. It just doesn’t seem to go away and probably never will. “

Ball said that since the first case of West Nile virus reported in the United States in 1999, the virus has mutated as it spread across the country. Since the first reports from Queens, New York, ways to track and control the virus have emerged, including the Butte County Mosquito and the Vector Control District.

The group is taking several different measures to monitor and control the spread of West Nile virus. Beyond testing the water basins, sentinel henhouses are being placed in seven locations in Butte County, which Ball says can help track the spread of transmission. Other forms of testing for West Nile include dead bird monitoring which involves testing the bird to see if it has died from the virus.

Despite the follow-up, residents of Butte County still return with cases of West Nile virus. Ball said he was concerned that after 17 years since the virus was first reported in the county, people are starting to ignore the threat.

“It’s as simple as filling up with gasoline on the way to work in the morning and you get bitten by a mosquito and you can get West Nile virus,” Ball said. “When we say right now that we have eight infected humans in Butte County and one person succumbs to it, fatally – the general population is like, ‘Well, look what COVID is doing. Eight people with one death in Butte County, it’s not that bad, considering we have 225,000 people. To me, that’s very bad because it was someone’s mother or father, or someone’s grandparent or potential friend. We live in a world here in Butte County where we can afford the things that keep West Nile down. “

In order to avoid contracting West Nile, Ball said taking action is easier said than done.

The first step is to avoid a bite. The best way to avoid a bite is to use mosquito repellent. Ball added that another option is to wear large, loose clothing when a person plans to go outside when mosquitoes are active.

“Mosquitoes are most active all night and then in the morning, so when you’re in the sun in the middle of the day, your risk of being bitten by a West Nile carrier mosquito is ultimately very low,” Ball said. “I always want to start with a caveat that when you are going to be outside you should always take precautions. If you enjoy Lower Bidwell Park and it’s 105 degrees outside when you’re in a shady environment next to a bunch of foliage or vegetation, there’s nothing stopping a mosquito from getting out and feeding. from you.

The second way to prevent the West Nile is to look for stagnant bodies of water that are not in use.

“A mosquito can go from an egg to a biting adult in five days or less,” Ball said. “So if you have Fido’s dog water bowl outside and it never runs out, rinse it out.” You could easily breed your own mosquitoes in your garden.

The Butte County Mosquito and Vector Control District also inspects properties with potential mosquito problems free of charge. Appointments can be made by calling the district office at 533-6038 or filling out a online application form.