West Nile Cases at all time high. West Nile Cases have been found in Poultry.
Location: High cases of West Nile Virus found in local mosquitos and poultry in the Coachella Valley
Description
There has been West Nile Cases at all time high. What can kind of protective measures are taking place and what can be done to protect the community. Many poultry have been found to be infected. Is this poultry possibly being sold locally at local markets?
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Comments (3)
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Jennifer Henke
To date, there have been no confirmed human cases of West Nile fever or West Nile neuroinvasive disease in the Coachella Valley. At the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District, we do trap adult mosquitoes that are tested for the virus. We also test sentinel chickens that we care for because they produce antibodies to West Nile virus without suffering from disease. The chickens do not pass the virus back to mosquitoes like other bird species can. West Nile virus is transmitted by mosquitoes and by blood transfusions and organ donations, not from eating chicken or eggs. We use the results from the mosquitoes and the chickens to focus our control efforts to protect the public.
If you would like to know more about our surveillance and control efforts, please visit our website (www.cvmvcd.org) or call us at 760 342 8287. -
Jennifer Henke
To clarify, no confirmed human cases of West Nile in 2012. None of the chickens that the District uses to monitor for West Nile virus go to any market.
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Eduardo Guevara
"West Nile virus activity is at record levels in the United States this year with total of 1590 human cases and 65 deaths. In California, 56 people have been diagnosed with WNV infection and two related WNV fatalities have been reported to date; one in Fresno and one in Kern County.
The District continues its aggressive surveillance and larval and adult mosquito control campaign across the entire Valley. In response to this year’s elevated WNV activity, the District has temporarily suspended some portions of its RIFA and eye gnat program to devote more staff and time to the control of mosquitoes in areas that currently have WNV activity."
This is a portion of a Press Release from CVMVCD on August 31, 2012. As it states, no deaths have been reported in the area. Press releases are continually being distributed by the CVMVCD regarding updates and application schedules.
More information can be obtained by visiting www.cvmvcd.org.
- E. Guevara