Alameda County logs year’s first West Nile virus activity

From the East Bay Times
September 27, 2021

Alameda County’s mosquito abatement district said Monday that a dead bird’s remains tested were positive for West Nile virus, the first positive test of the year.

The bird was collected in Pleasanton and underwent testing at a district laboratory. Officials said they plan to boost mosquito monitoring and larval control efforts near where the bird was found.

“With the change of season, residents may assume mosquitoes are no longer a threat, but this is usually the time of year when we see an increase in West Nile virus in our county,” district general manager Ryan Clausnitzer said.

“With light showers in the mornings followed by warm weather in the afternoons, mosquitoes still have plenty of opportunities to breed and flourish,” Clausnitzer said in part. “While we are not detecting high numbers of mosquitoes in the area where the bird was found, there is an increased risk of West Nile virus with every mosquito bite.”

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