West Nile Prompts State of Emergency

POSTED: 11:57 pm PDT August 1, 2007
UPDATED: 7:47 am PDT August 2, 2007

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is declaring a State of Emergency to deal with the West Nile virus outbreak in three California counties including Kern.

The declaration will free up millions of dollars in aid to local vector control districts.

Sen. Dean Florez said he contacted the governor's office Wednesday to request emergency relief, however a spokesperson for the governor's office said the governor had been following the West Nile problem for some time and had already planned to issue a state of emergency.

"Senator Florez had nothing to do with the decision. The governor decided to go forward with the state of emergency after viewing a recent report on West Nile and hearing of two recent deaths in separate counties," said Aaron McLear.

So far, 38 of the state's 56 cases have occured in Kern County. Two people have died in Kern County this year, two others died in Colusa and San Joaquin Counties, both of which will be named in the State of Emergency proclamation.

http://www.eyeoutforyou.com/home/8865747.html