From the Merced County Times
August 22, 2021
Merced County Department of Public Health officials notified Merced County Mosquito Abatement District (District) that a male in his 60s contracted West Nile Virus (WNV) fever in the City of Merced. This is the first human case of WNV in the County this year. In addition to the human case, the District has detected WNV in one (1) sentinel chicken, one (1) mosquito pooled sample, and one (1) dead bird to date in Merced County. As of Aug. 6, 2021, eight (8) human cases have been confirmed in California.
West Nile Virus is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. County residents are encouraged to continue their efforts to reduce mosquito breeding and WNV prevention by taking the following steps:
- Eliminate sources of standing water where mosquitoes lay their eggs.
- Avoid spending time outside when mosquitoes are most active (dawn and dusk).
- Apply insect repellent containing the active ingredient DEET when outdoors, according to label instructions. In addition to DEET-based products, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) also recommends insect repellant containing oil of lemon eucalyptus and Picaridin.