Virus' spread slowing

Aerial spraying may have played role, but vigilance
still needed, officials say

BY EMILY HAGEDORN, Californian staff writer
e-mail: ehagedorn@bakersfield.com | Tuesday, Sep 11 2007 9:30 PM

Last Updated: Tuesday, Sep 11 2007 9:37 PM

Kern County's count of West Nile virus cases now stands at 107, but the rate of new diagnoses is decreasing, new state numbers show.

Interim County Public Health Officer Dr. Claudia Jonah discussed Kern's bout of West Nile and what can be done about it at Tuesday's county supervisors meeting.

"The mosquitoes are not selective," Jonah said, pointing to a slide that showed the number of infections in men and women. "Basically, we all need to be cautious and use prevention."

Two hundred twelve people have been sickened by the mosquito-borne disease in the state this year, according to the state Department of Public Health on Tuesday.

Kern had seven cases over the last week compared to nine cases the week before and 13 new cases the week before that.

The aerial pesticide spraying a month ago is partly responsible for the decrease, said Dr. Boyce Dulan, director of disease control.

"I'm hoping that there are fewer mosquitoes that can bite, but more importantly, there are more people who are using preventive measures," he said. "All you need
is a group of people in an area where you've got a lot of mosquitoes, and the numbers will spike again."

Risk from sumps?

Public health employees visited the home of one of the four Kern residents who died from West Nile virus, Supervisor Michael Rubio pointed out at Tuesday's
county supervisors meeting.

"You need to go out there and see that site," he said.

Jonah said a lot of information is gained by the questionnaire filled out for every case, but visits to the homes of those who died from the virus could be put into the county's West Nile response plan.

Rubio directed Jonah to update the response plan, which was written in 2004, and, by the end of the year, to convene the West Nile task force, which is composed of public health, environmental health, the agricultural commissioner and the abatement districts.

While the group hasn't officially met this year, the members have regularly been working together to fight the virus, Jonah said.

Supervisor Mike Maggard is concerned that sumps and water recharge areas are feeding the spread of West Nile virus, especially in northeast Bakersfield. He made a referral for county personnel to study the link, look to budget additional funds to treat the sumps and find additional funding beyond the county budget.

An increase in West Nile-positive mosquitoes hasn't been found in that area, Jonah said.

Supervisor Ray Watson suggested a warning system to tell residents when their West Nile risk is high.

"We would not want to get into a message that says, 'Today the risk is high; tomorrow you can relax,'" Jonah said. "It is here. People should not take any
day off from West Nile virus prevention."

New money

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger officially broadened the scope of last month's emergency $10 million allocation to fight the West Nile virus Monday night.

Rubio's request to the state for funds for the county health department last week was a factor in the state's decision to do this, said Suanne Buggy, spokeswoman for the state health department.

The funds, which originally were earmarked for mosquito abatement, can now be used for public education, outreach to the medical community and surveillance of high-risk areas by the state health department, according to a news release.

Thirty-five counties have received $4.5 million from the fund so far.

The local health department requested $285,193, which would pay for an epidemiologist, a public health nurse to follow up on diagnosed West Nile cases, a medical investigator to work on identifying cases earlier at hospitals and clinics and personnel to revise the county's West Nile action plan.

Kern will receive some new funds, but the state hasn't decided how much, Buggy said.