It’s official: West Nile Virus is all around San Benito County
and officials say it’s likely here but has not yet been
detected.
It’s been detected in Gilroy and in Monterey County. It’s likely
just a matter of time before it’s found here.
It’s official: West Nile Virus is all around San Benito County and officials say it’s likely here but has not yet been detected.
It’s been detected in Gilroy and in Monterey County. It’s likely just a matter of time before it’s found here.
The news is cause for concern and sensible precautions. It’s not a cause for panic.
First, it’s important to understand that West Nile Virus is rarely contracted by humans. The virus is spread by mosquitoes that have fed on birds infected by the virus. It can’t be contracted by touching a bird, dead or alive, that has the virus. It also can’t be spread from person to person.
It’s important to remember that of those who are bitten by an infected mosquito, only 10 to 15 percent develop mild or moderate symptoms such as body aches and fever. Fewer than one percent of those exposed to the virus develop severe neurological symptoms, and there have been only a handful of fatalities in California.
West Nile Virus should prompt us to make our homes and businesses as mosquito-unfriendly as possible. The most effective way to do that is to ensure that there’s no standing water anywhere on your property. Once a week, take a tour looking for any item that can hold water: a bucket, a flower pot, a spare tire, a forgotten soda can, or an unused child’s toy.
Mosquitoes can breed in as little as a teaspoon of still water.
Here in rural San Benito County, there’s another consideration: protecting horses. Veterinarians are urging horse owners to vaccinate their animals with the equine vaccine, which is 95 percent effective in preventing the disease in horses.
Now that West Nile Virus has moved close to South Valley, let’s all establish a new habit of touring our homes and businesses each week to remove any standing water. Making our area as unappealing to mosquitoes as we can in this simple way is the best way to keep West Nile Virus at bay.
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