First suspected Lake County human West Nile virus case for 2016 reported

Lake County health officials said they are investigating the county’s first suspected human case of West Nile virus this year. Eight Lake County residents have been diagnosed with the mosquito-borne virus since 2004.

The Lake County Vector Control District also reported that two chickens and seven mosquito samples tested positive for the virus this week. The chickens were in Upper Lake.

The mosquitoes were collected in Clearlake, Clearlake Oaks, Kelseyville, Lakeport, and Upper Lake, according to Jamesina Scott, district manager and research director for the Lake County Vector Control District. So far this year, West Nile virus has been detected in 29 mosquito samples, three dead birds, and two sentinel chickens (chickens used to test for the virus) in Lake County, she reported.

Scott reminded area residents to take measures to reduce their risk of contracting the virus by eliminating mosquito breeding grounds. The pests breed in wading pools, ponds, buckets, swimming pools, spas that aren’t being maintained and any other place where water sits for more than three days, she said.

She also recommended using mosquito repellents that contain DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, and avoiding the outdoors at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.