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Amador County, CA – A nearby Mother Lode county has just confirmed its first case of West Nile Virus in 2020.
It is most commonly spread through mosquito bites. The Amador County Department of Public Health reports that tests confirm that it was recently transmitted to a horse in the county. Public Health Officer Dr. Rita Kerr says: “The emergence of the West Nile virus in Amador County is not a surprise.”
Cases have also been confirmed this year in northern California counties of Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Napa, Merced, Fresno, and Santa Clara. No cases have been reported in Tuolumne, Calaveras or Mariposa yet.
Dr. Kerr adds: “It is important for people to be aware that there are steps they can take to minimize exposure to mosquitoes and reduce the chance of becoming infected.”
These include using insect repellent with DEET, draining stagnant water areas, and being more alert during the early morning and evening hours (when mosquitoes often bite).
The health department adds: “The risk of serious illness for most people is low. However, some people, less than 1 percent, will develop serious neurological diseases, such as encephalitis or meningitis. People age 50 and older are more likely to get sick and more likely to develop serious symptoms. People with diabetes and / or hypertension are at increased risk for serious disease. “
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