By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

July 23, 2018 (Santee) -West Nile virus made its first appearance of the summer in San Diego County this week when a batch of mosquitoes caught in routine trapping in Santee tested positive for the virus.

County officials reminded people they should follow the County’s “Prevent, Protect, Report” guidelines to protect themselves from all mosquitoes and the various diseases they can transmit, from West Nile virus to tropical diseases such as chikungunya, dengue and Zika.

By Tom Christensen, County of San Diego Communications

August 3, 2016 (San Diego) -- A 51-year-old El Cajon woman has been confirmed as the first locally acquired human case of West Nile virus this year, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency announced today.

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

Source:  County News Service

July 12, 2016 (San Diego) - San Diego County’s vector control program has already collected more batches of West Nile virus-infected mosquitoes by the second week of July than it did in all of 2015.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left:  Centers for Disease Control

January 2, 2016 (San Diego)—Though threats of terror attacks have captured headlines, fast-spreading diseases carried by tiny mosquitoes may pose serious danger to far more people in the western hemisphere. These include Zika virus, Dengue Fever, Chikungunya, Yellow Fever, and West Nile Virus.

Before May 2015, Zika virus had occurred only in Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. But the virus has spread rapidly and has now been contracted in 13 countries or territories in the Americas. In Brazil, where over a million cases of Zika have occurred,  the virus has been linked to 3,000 babies born with brain damage known as microcephaly.  Ominously, new research now suggests Zika virus can now be sexually transmitted from a patient bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus to a partner.

September 11, 2015 (Santee)--The death of a 79-year-old San Diego woman on Sept. 8 and the recent hospitalization of an 80-year-old Santee woman are under investigation as probable West Nile virus cases, the County Health and Human Services Agency announced today. The 80-year-old woman is currently recovering.

Source: County News Service

June 3, 2015 (San Diego) -- The number of dead birds testing positive for West Nile virus in San Diego County has spiked.  Only 5 dead birds had tested positive for the disease this year as of May 1^st.  But a month later, that number has jumped to 29—the highest level in the state.

East County News Service

October 23, 2014 (Mt. Helix) – A Mt. Helix resident who died October 10^th at Grossmont Hospital is believed to have died of West Nile Virus, 10 News reports. He may have been bitten by a mosquito in Eucalyptus Park in La Mesa, at the base of Mt. Helix, his daughter has said.

County News Service

July 27, 2014 (Santee)-A 43-year-old Santee man has the first confirmed local case of West Nile virus  this year, the County Health and Human Services Agency reports.  There has not been a human case of the disease in San Diego County since 2012.

July 25, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) -- Two weeks after finding the first sign of West Nile virus this season — a dead infected crow — two more dead infected birds have been discovered.

Two dead American crows, one from Ramona and one from Carlsbad, were turned in by members of the public and have tested positive for the disease. The first bird, also an American crow, was found near Lakeside.

County vector control and environmental health officials said the discoveries are a reminder that people should protect themselves from West Nile virus, a potentially-deadly disease that is transmitted to people most often by mosquitoes that have fed on infected birds.

August 23, 2012 --  (San Diego’s East County) – ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflecting all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:   

• Hurricane threat for GOP convention in Tampa? (CBS)
• USDA eyes whether tainted beef entered the food supply (Sacramento Bee)
• U.S. health officials brace for spike in West  Nile cases (USA Today)
• Accused Colorado gunman saw three mental health experts (Reuters)
• How Paul Ryan and Todd Akin partnered to redefine rape (Think Progress)
• Todd Akin, Senate candidate: `Legitimate  rape’ rarely causes pregnancy (Washington Post)
• Bill calls for more distributed generation to guard against infrastructure failures in grid emergencies (Power Magazine)
• Renewable energy projects on public lands: Obama not living up to his promises (Native News)
• Indian leaders share concerns about sacred sites (Missoulan)
• CDC calls for Hepatitis C testing for all boomers (NPR)

• Ecuador grants asylum to Assange, angering Britain (Reuters)
• Iran: Israel’s existence “insult to all humanity” (AP)
• Arab spring runs amok: Muslim brotherhood starts crucifixions in Egypt (WND) 

Games aim to make it fun for kids to learn how they can help prevent the disease

October 9, 2011 (San Diego)--Now, learning how to “Fight the Bite” and protect yourself from West Nile virus can be fun, says the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health. The agency has created a new website, http://www.SDSwatTeam.com, and two specially-created video games to let kids (and even adults) play while learning about protecting themselves and others from West Nile virus, the potentially-deadly disease that is spread by mosquitoes.

West Nile Virus Detected In Lemon Grove

East County News Service

July 28, 2010 (Lemon Grove)--A batch of mosquitoes collected in Lemon Grove has tested positive for West Nile virus, the first positive test this year for the potentially-deadly disease, County Vector Control officials announced today.