State issues pool alert to contain West Nile virus

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Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, August 8, 2007
SACRAMENTO -- The state commissioner of financial institutions, Michael Kelley, issued a press release Tuesday calling on chief executives of banks and others in the financial services industry to ensure that swimming pools and standing water at vacant home sites under their control be drained and maintained to prevent the spread of West Nile virus.

In recent months hundreds of vacant homes with neglected pools have been reported to the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District as potential mosquito breeding sites.

The problem is twofold. The volume of foreclosed or abandoned homes has risen as the real estate market stalls. And scores of mosquitoes in the county have tested positive for West Nile virus.

So far this summer, there have been five fatalities statewide linked to West Nile virus.

Last week, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in the hardest hit counties of Kern, Colusa and San Joaquin. Kern County has reported 38 cases tied to the virus, including two of the five deaths.

For information, visit the Web site at www.westnile.ca.gov.
-- Loretta Kalb
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http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/314386.html