From the Oakdale Leader
April 24, 2019
After the significant rainfall the area received this winter, mosquito experts throughout the state stress the need for Californians to dump and drain all standing water. According to the California Department of Water Resources, the San Joaquin Valley received nearly 125 percent of the average rainfall from October 2018 to February 2019. The heavy rainfall can lead to accumulated stagnant water, which in turn creates mosquito breeding sites.
In addition to mosquitoes being a nuisance, they also pose a serious public health risk as infected mosquitoes can spread viruses, which can cause debilitating cases of meningitis, encephalitis, and even death. West Nile Virus activity was detected in 41 counties in California in 2018 and there were 215 human WNV cases reported, of which 153 were the more severe neuroinvasive form. There were also five human Saint Louis Encephalitis Virus Cases in the state.
During 2018 in Stanislaus County there were 15 human cases of West Nile Virus and one case of Saint Louis Encephalitis Virus.