West Nile virus cases climb to 63 in Kern

BY EMILY HAGEDORN, Californian staff writer
e-mail: ehagedorn@bakersfield.com | Tuesday, Aug 14 2007 10:20 PM
Last Updated: Tuesday, Aug 14 2007 10:25 PM

Kern County has now surpassed the number of West Nile virus cases it reported last year, and it's only a quarter through the virus' most active time of year.

Sixty-three people have been diagnosed with the disease in the county as of Tuesday, according to the state Department of Public Health. Kern saw 51 cases last year.
This year, 108 people have been sickened statewide. The second-highest number of cases coming out of a county is Fresno, which reported seven.

Typically spread by mosquitoes, West Nile is a serious condition that can cause flu-like symptoms, infections of the brain and membranes covering the brain and spinal cord and even death. Even milder symptoms, such as muscle weakness and pain, can last for weeks, said Dr. Boyce Dulan, deputy Kern County health officer.

"This isn't like, 'Take two aspirins and call me in the morning.' It's not like it's one of those conditions," he said. "This is really serious."

These new numbers show an almost 60 percent increase over the number of cases statewide at this time last year, and August and September have historically been the worst months for the virus.

The Kern Mosquito and Vector Control District finished spraying the pesticide pyrethrin on metropolitan Bakersfield Monday, but the effects of the spraying on the number of new cases probably won't be seen until early September, considering the disease has a five- to 15-day incubation period, Dulan said.

The aerial application hopefully will reduce the number of mosquitoes, but it does not erase the risk, he said.

"If you know how to prevent a disease, then do what it takes to prevent it," Dulan said. "This is your part. This is where you need to be involved in the solution."
To avoid getting West Nile, according to local and state agencies, residents should:
* Eliminate all sources of stagnant or standing water where mosquitoes can breed.
* Avoid being outdoors at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.
* Wear long sleeves and long pants while outdoors whenever possible.
* Use insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus according to label instructions.
* Make sure the doors and windows in your home have tight-fitting screens with no holes or tears.
* Contact your mosquito abatement district if there is a significant mosquito problem where you live or work for a supply of mosquito fish to control larvae in troughs and ponds or to report an abandoned, stagnant swimming pool. Call the Kern Mosquito and Vector Control District at 589-2744, Westside Mosquito Abatement District at 763-3510, Delano Mosquito Abatement District at 725-3114 or South Fork Mosquito Abatement District at 760-376-4268.
* Call the state toll-free hot line at 877-WNV-BIRD (877-968-2473) upon finding a dead bird or squirrel.
* Consult veterinarians to properly vaccinate horses.