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West Nile virus has been confirmed in two crows found dead in Concord last Monday (June 17), the first positive tests since April, the Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District said.
Other infected dead birds have been reported in Alameda, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, the Contra Costa district said in a press release Friday.
Since 2005, 75 people in Contra Costa County have been diagnosed with West Nile virus, and in 2006, two people died from the virus, which is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito.
“Now that it’s summer, with increasing temperatures, the risk of West Nile virus increases, because the virus reaches higher levels in mosquitoes when the outside temperature stays above 55 degrees at night,” said Steve Schutz, the county’s scientific program director. “This is the time of year when it’s very important for Contra Costa County residents to take precautions to reduce the risk of mosquito bites and to report dead birds because dead birds are often the first sign of WNV in a particular location.”
Contra Costa County residents can report dead birds by phone at 877-WNV-BIRD (968-2473) or online. County residents can also request mosquito service for residential property by calling 925-685-9301 or online.
