San Joaquin County since 2004 has verified 178 human cases and 64 equine cases of mosquito borne West Nile Virus as well as 584 dead birds.
The first bird this year to die from the West Nile Virus was a wild finch found in the Ripon area.
The West Nile Virus can make human sick and even kill them. There have been 326 human deaths in California — including in San Joaquin County — from the West Nile Virus during the past 15 years.
Mosquitoes transmit the West Nile Virus as well as the potentially deadly yellow fever that has been detected in San Joaquin County for the past three years.
It is why the San Joaquin County Mosquito & Vector Control District is urging residents to take advantage of the free mosquitofish distribution they are conducting in the South County.
*Ripon, Tuesday, June 22, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the Ripon City Hall parking lot, 259 N. Wilma St.
*Escalon, Tuesday, June 22, from 11:30 a.m. to 1p.m. at the Hogan park parking lot at 1051 Escalon Ave.
*Manteca, Thursday, June 24, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Manteca Senior Center, 295 Cherry Lane.
*Lathrop, Thursday, June 24, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Manuel Valverde Park near the Lathrop Community Center, 15557 Fifth St.
Ideal places to use mosquitofish to prevent mosquito development are ornamental ponds, animal water troughs, and neglected swimming pools.
A maximum of 15 fish will be provided to each resident as long as supplies last. Residents will be asked to provide their name, address and location where fish will be placed. Mosquitofish will only be provided to residents who live within San Joaquin County.
They are a live-bearing minnow closely related to the common guppy. Mosquitofish are temperature dependent for reproduction, but typically breed from mid-spring to fall in the San Joaquin Valley. They reproduce at intervals of about six weeks, with on average about 50 young in a single brood. Mosquitofish are the primary biological control agent for the San Joaquin County Mosquito & Vector Control District.
The District urges residents and visitors of San Joaquin County including the Ripon and south San Joaquin County area to reduce their risk of WNV infection and other mosquito-transmitted diseases by taking these precautions:
*Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property that can support mosquito breeding.
*Use products containing active ingredients which have been registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use as insect repellents applied to skin and clothing. Those products containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and some oil of lemon eucalyptus products need to be applied according to label instructions.
*Avoid spending time outside when mosquitoes are most active, at dawn and dusk, and especially for the first two hours after sunset.
*When outdoors, wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts and other protective clothing.
*Exclude mosquitoes from your home with tight fitting screens on doors and windows.
*Contact your veterinarian for information on vaccinating equine against WNV.
*Report significant mosquito infestations to San Joaquin County Mosquito & Vector Control District at www.sjmosquito.org (209) 982-4675, 1-800-300-4675.
*Report dead birds and tree squirrels to 1-877-WNV-BIRD (1-877-968-2473) or www.westnile.ca.gov.
For additional information, request service, and/or to sign up for the District’s spray notification system, go to www.sjmosquito.org.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
