Excerpted from ProMED-mail <http://www.promedmail.org> posting
20050626.1793, distributed June 26, 2005, subject: PRO/AH/EDR> West
Nile virus update 2005 - Western Hemisphere (04):
[1] USA (California): mosquitoes and crows
[2] USA (Kansas): CDC reports 1st case of West Nile for 2005
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[1] USA (ALIFORNIA): MOSQUITOES AND CROWS
Source: Merced Sun-Star news, California, 21 Jun 2005 [edited]
<http://www.mercedsun-star.com/local/story/10729593p-11510262c.html>
[Note: Livingston, Merced County is east of San Jose, about half way
to Yosemite National Park. The press release announcing the
WNV-positive mosquito was released June 16 and is posted at:
http://www.co.merced.ca.us/CountyWeb/]
Livingston ponds have West Nile virus
-------------------------------------
For the 1st time since 1997, a mosquito warning has been issued for
the Livingston area, after 3 mosquito pools tested positive for West
Nile virus.
Allan Inman, manager for the Merced County Mosquito Abatement
District, said about 150 mosquitoes were collected on Foster Farms
property on 10 Jun 2005, and the results were relayed to the district
on Monday [20 Jun 2005].
Last week, a dead crow found on Foster Farms property also tested
positive for the virus.
The department looked at 27 pools of mosquitoes, with about 50
insects in each, Inman said. The 1st 24 tested negative. A mosquito
warning hasn't been issued in the county since 1997, when Western
Equine Encephalitis was found among mosquitoes.
The Merced County Health Department had already sent a health
advisory to local health care providers last week [3rd week June
2005], after the crow's tests proved positive for the virus. ...
[T]he county had given the abatement district maps of areas with a
high number of people over the age of 55. From those maps, Inman
said, the district can determine where to concentrate its spraying,
because older people are more vulnerable to West Nile.
On Monday [20 Jun 2005] morning, after the mosquitoes were found to
harbor the virus, Inman said his staff was in Livingston spraying
around an assisted-living facility.
Inman said his crews planned to spray the Livingston area Monday [20
Jun 2005] night, focusing on territories north of Walnut Avenue and
south of Highway 99. The spray the abatement district uses is not
harmful to either people or animals, Inman said.
Along with the spraying, Inman said there will be surveillance
flights this week [4th week June 2005] to look for back yards that
have pools with stagnant water in them, because they are perfect
breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Inman said his department has only
about USD 400 000 left out of a USD 1.9 million budget, and he's
worried about running out of money before mosquito season is over.
"We're holding out hope that the state passes the budget that has USD
12 million for abatement districts," Inman said. "Otherwise, we may
have to tap into our emergency line of credit, and technically, we
could get to a point where we couldn't treat areas for mosquitoes."
[byline: Carol Reiter]
-------------------
[2] USA (KANSAS): 1ST US WNV CASE OF 2005
Source: Reuters.com, 22 Jun 2005
<http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=8864560>
Kansas has reported this year's 1st human case of West Nile virus in the
United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
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Received on Sun, 26 Jun 2005 23:26:12 -0400
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