Mosquitoes collected in Orange test positive for West Nile virus; 9 birds also found with the disease around Orange County

From The Orange County Register
August 5, 2019

Mosquitoes found at El Camino Real Park in Orange have tested positive for West Nile virus, the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District announced Monday, Aug. 5. The mosquito sample, collected July 30, was the first batch to test positive for the virus in the county in 2019.

The vector control district also announced, Monday, that a total of nine dead birds infected with the disease were found in Cypress, Buena Park, Huntington Beach and Tustin. Given the number of birds infected, “we anticipate we’ll get more positives (in mosquitoes) with West Nile virus throughout the county,” Lora Young, spokeswoman for the vector control district, said.

No human cases of West Nile virus have been reported in Orange County this year, according to vector control officials.

However, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, on Monday, confirmed L.A. County’s first two cases of human West Nile virus in 2019. One resident of the San Fernando Valley and another in the southeastern portion of the county contracted the virus in late July and are in recovery.

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