The East Side Mosquito Abatement District has announced that a dead bird found in Stanislaus County has tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV), the first detection of the virus in the county this year.

Throughout the state, WNV has been detected in 10 counties with activity confirmed in 18 dead birds, 17 mosquito samples, no horses, and no human cases, as of May 15.

According to officials, reporting and testing of dead birds is an important step in preventing WNV. A confirmed case of the virus in dead birds or mosquito samples helps to identify areas that need treatment to reduce mosquito activity.

Both the East Side and Turlock Mosquito Abatement Districts encourage the citizens of Stanislaus County to continue their efforts with WNV prevention. The mosquito abatement districts offer these simple tips to help people protect themselves and others from mosquito bites and WNV:

• Eliminate sources of standing water. Dump out any container that can hold water for more than a few days.
• Avoid spending time outside when mosquitoes are most active, during the early morning and late afternoon.
• When outdoors, cover up as much skin as possible. Wearing long pants, long-sleeved shirts and other protective clothing will help reduce mosquito bites.
• Keep mosquitoes out of your home by making sure tight fitting screens are on doors and windows.
• Apply insect repellent containing the active ingredient DEET when outdoors, according to label instructions. In addition to DEET-based products, the Centers for Disease Control also recommend insect repellents containing oil of lemon eucalyptus and Picaridin.

To report a dead bird, call the California State hotline at 1-877- WNV-BIRD or report it online at www.westnile.ca.gov. Birds of particular interest to the State are crows, ravens, magpies, jays and raptors (hawk or eagle).

To report mosquito-breeding problem areas, Stanislaus County residents should contact one of the two mosquito abatement districts that serve the county. For Stanislaus County addresses north of the Tuolumne River, residents should call the East Side Mosquito Abatement District at 209-522-4098 or visit EastSideMosquito.com and all others should contact the Turlock Mosquito Abatement District at 209-634-1234 or visit TurlockMosquito.org.

For more WNV information, visit the Stanislaus County Emergency Website at StanEmergency.com.