Human case of West Nile virus confirmed in Tulare County

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Mosquitos are thriving in Tulare County, the result of a very wet spring leaving standing water in places like creeks, rivers, and Tulare Lake.

It's the perfect breeding ground for the tiny biting bugs.

"So because there are more areas of water, the mosquitos are breeding faster, and also the weather is hotter," says Dr. Mustapha Debboun, the general manager of the Delta Mosquito and Vector Control District.

The district's labs were where West Nile Virus was recently discovered.

Once they find a virus, staff will head to the area where the mosquito was found to apply pesticide.

Despite the effort, people are still at risk of getting infected with West Nile Virus.

On Wednesday, the Tulare County Health Department announced one person in Tulare had West Nile Virus. They first felt symptoms on July 10th.

Those symptoms can vary, but Dr. Joseph Madella of Adventist Health Tulare says there are signs to watch for.

"Warning signs people should watch out for are high fever, chills, body aches, nausea, and vomiting. Most people won't have all of them but might have a combination of them," says Madella.

He says taking preventive measures like wearing repellant, staying indoors during dawn and dusk, draining standing water, and mosquito-proofing your home is essential.

You can also do your part by calling your local mosquito district if you notice an influx of mosquitos in your community.

"We do have free service requests," says Dr. Debboun. "We send technicians to find out where the problems are in their homes to let them know what they can do and what we can do about it. We work as a team."

You can find your local mosquito district on this map.

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