Two mosquito samples in Lake County test positive for West Nile virus

Two mosquitoes in Lake County have tested positive for West Nile virus, the first detection of the disease in the area this year, the Lake County Vector Control District said Friday.

The two samples, both of western encephalitis mosquitoes, were collected near Lower Lake on Aug. 6, officials said.

Nizza Sequeira, a spokeswoman for the Marin/Sonoma Mosquito & Vector Control District, said the virus has not yet been detected this year in the local district.

Lake County officials said so far this year, 22 California counties have detected the virus, mainly in mosquitoes. As of Friday, mosquito-borne West Nile virus has inflicted 10 people statewide, but none in Sonoma or Lake counties.

Lake County vector district officials encourage residents to reduce the risk of contracting West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne diseases by doing the following:

• Dump or drain standing water to interrupt mosquitoes’ life cycle.

• Use repellents containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.

• Avoid the outdoors when mosquitoes are present, typically dawn and dusk.

For more information, go to www.lcvcd.org or https://www.msmosquito.com/.

You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 707-521-5213 or martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @pressreno.