Butte County Is Tied for the Most Human Cases in California
Butte County had recorded 11 human cases of West Nile virus, tied with Los Angeles County for the highest total in California. Surveillance in Butte County had also found 28 positive mosquito samples and 26 positive sentinel chickens.
Together, those detections show that West Nile virus is actively circulating in the county this season. The latest county-by-county numbers are available through the California West Nile Virus website.
Sacramento County had reported seven human cases, along with 101 positive dead birds and 102 positive mosquito samples. Yuba County, which includes Wheatland, had reported one human case, three positive dead birds, six positive mosquito samples, and four positive sentinel chickens.
West Nile Is Showing Up in Placer County Mosquito Surveillance
Placer County, which includes Roseville, Rocklin, and Loomis, had no reported human cases as of August 28. However, surveillance had identified 107 positive mosquito samples, along with eight positive dead birds and one infected horse.
Those detections do not mean that a human case will necessarily follow. They do confirm that West Nile virus is circulating locally, making the usual precautions against mosquito bites especially worthwhile while seasonal activity remains high.
The Redding Area Has Seen Less Activity So Far
Shasta County, which includes Redding, Anderson, and Shasta Lake, had no reported human cases as of August 28, although 16 mosquito samples and two sentinel chickens had tested positive. Tehama County had detected West Nile virus in four sentinel chickens, while Siskiyou County had no reported detections in the state's latest data.
That is a different picture from Butte, Sacramento, and Placer counties. It does not mean there is no West Nile risk farther north, but state surveillance shows considerably less detected activity there so far this season.
What the West Nile Numbers Do and Do Not Mean
Most people infected with the West Nile virus never develop symptoms. About one in five develop symptoms that can include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, or rash. A much smaller percentage develop serious illness affecting the brain or nervous system, with adults 60 and older and people with certain underlying conditions or weakened immune systems at greater risk.
So the point is not to be alarmed. West Nile activity is elevated in California this year, and several counties in Big Time's service area are showing notable activity. Reasonable precautions can help reduce your chances of mosquito bites and exposure.
The California Department of Public Health recommends using an EPA-registered insect repellent, keeping window and door screens in good repair, taking extra precautions around dawn and dusk, and eliminating standing water around your property.
Small Amounts of Standing Water Can Still Produce Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes need standing water to complete the aquatic stages of their life cycle, and some of those breeding sites can be surprisingly easy to overlook around a home.
Plant saucers, clogged gutters, tarps, wheelbarrows, pet bowls, birdbaths, and other containers that hold standing water can all contribute to mosquito activity.
Checking the yard regularly and dumping or draining unnecessary standing water is one of the most useful things homeowners can do themselves. California public health officials also recommend using EPA-registered mosquito repellent, keeping window and door screens in good repair, and taking extra precautions around dawn and dusk, when the mosquitoes that spread West Nile commonly bite.
No homeowner can control every mosquito in the neighborhood, but reducing standing water and protecting yourself from bites can help reduce exposure.
Get Ahead of Mosquito Activity With Professional Treatments
Removing standing water is an important first step, but it does not address every mosquito using your property. Mosquitoes can breed in places that are easy to overlook, rest in shaded areas around the yard, and continually move in from neighboring properties.
That is where Big Time Pest Control can take some of the work off your plate. Our ongoing mosquito control is focused on reducing mosquito activity around the areas where you spend time outside, so you are not relying on an occasional treatment when mosquitoes become especially noticeable.
With West Nile activity elevated across parts of Northern California, this is a good time to pair professional mosquito control with the precautions recommended by public health officials. Big Time can help manage the mosquitoes around your property, while you continue to use repellent, maintain screens, and eliminate standing water when you find it.
Reduce Mosquito Activity Around Your Property
West Nile activity is elevated in California this year, but that does not mean residents need to be alarmed. It does make this a good time to be consistent about mosquito prevention: remove standing water, use repellent when needed, keep screens in good repair, and take extra precautions when mosquitoes are active.
Big Time Pest Control provides ongoing mosquito control across Chico, Oroville, Sacramento, Roseville, Redding, and surrounding communities to help reduce mosquito activity around residential properties.
If mosquitoes are making your yard difficult to enjoy, request a mosquito control quote from Big Time Pest Control.
