2007 West Nile Virus Activity in the United States
(Reported to CDC as of July 17, 2007)
Posted on 07/22/2007 2:54:50 PM PDT by blam
West Nile virus surges with 27 cases
Only five had been reported by this time last year. Kern County is hit the hardest, with 22. Eighteen incidents were recorded just last week.
By Marla Cone, Times Staff Writer
July 22, 2007
West Nile virus, spread by mosquitoes, has taken an early hold on parts of California this summer, sickening 27 people statewide compared with only five last year at this time.
Unusually high temperatures throughout the state in March triggered an earlier start to the West Nile virus season than in other years.
Human illnesses have been documented in six counties, led by Kern County with 22, and one each in San Joaquin, Merced, Stanislaus, Glenn and Mendocino counties, state health officials reported Friday. Eighteen of the cases were documented in the last week.
No human illness has been reported south of Kern County this year. But that seems only a matter of time because the virus already has infected animals throughout most of the state.
Dead birds or other animals in 36 of California's 58 counties, including Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, have tested positive for West Nile virus, according to the state website tracking the disease, westnile.ca.gov.
The California Department of Public Health warned earlier this month that the rising numbers "could indicate that the mosquito and vector control agencies may have another busy year battling West Nile virus-carrying mosquitoes."
Dr. Mark Horton, director of the state's public health department, recently recommended that people take steps to avoid mosquito bites.
"Even though the likelihood of serious illness from West Nile virus is low for most people, all Californians should take every precaution to reduce their risk of exposure," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
And it totally could be stopped from killing birds and sickening humans by DDT. But NO!! Can’t have THAT!!
Kern Co. is west (and east) of the Nile.
Since I live in a Michigan swamp, I assumed that I contracted it and became immune to it several years ago.
A friend of mine just returned from a year in the hospital with West Nile, most of it spent in isolation and on a ventilator. She’s now re-learning how to move her arms and use her hands. It’s true most folks just get a mild case, if they notice it at all, but those who do get it full-bore have a long, tough time ahead of them.
West Nile Ping
But how severely has WNV affected the horses? And Lord knows, there are horses aplenty in the San Joaquin Valley, wouldn’t they be a considerable reservoir of the disease?
Not sure if the disease also affects cattle too. But horses can definitely be affected, sometimes at a subclinical level, which may trigger other disorders.
That's sad. I posted on that five years ago.
West Nile Virus and Horses
CDC: Q & A
BTW, there are more horses in the US presently than at any time in our history.
It started in New York and New Jersey in 1999 and has now made its way to California and up and down the continental U.S.; by this time, three years from now it will be yesterday’s news.
Yup. Old news here already. (Mobile)
I was bitten by a mosquito inside my house last night. My yard is full of them and they ride into the house on the dogs. I hate mosquitoes!
There are more people in the US presently than at any time in our history, hence more cases of everything.
Ahem, that's because you got all our rain.
Yes I know, I think I apologized for that the other day.
Well...okay then. Good luck with the mosquitos.
“But how severely has WNV affected the horses?”
There is a WNV vaccine for horses now. Don’t know why there isn’t one for people.
BTW, there is now at least one human case in Idaho.
Did they ever figure out how this got into the States?
So do I. I have a house dog, but once in a while she goes outside. I am afraid of mosquitoes biting her because I hear they can cause heart worms in dogs.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.