Overnight Spraying In South Bay Targets West Nile Virus
SUNNYVALE (KCBS) – Insecticides were sprayed overnight Thursday in parts of Santa Clara and Sunnyvale in an effort to kill adult mosquitoes carrying the West Nile Virus.
Santa Clara County Vector Control District's Russ Parman said officials centered their efforts on Las Palmas Park in Sunnyvale and fogged about a mile in every direction, covering three-square miles.
"In the area of the fogging zone so far this season we have four dead birds and one positive mosquito sampling. Those four dead birds are 40 percent of all the birds that we found and they're all centered in this fogging area," said Parman.
KCBS' Mike Colgan Reports:
The fogging began at 11 p.m. Thursday and lasted three hours. Spraying typically occurs late at night when the mosquitoes are most active. County officials said the insecticide is not harmful to humans.
Mosquitoes in Sunnyvale tested positive for West Nile after an infected bird was found on May 26.
The virus is transmitted through mosquito bites. Infections cause flu-like symptoms such as fever, body aches and headaches. More serious cases can result in significant neurological damage. The elderly and those with weaker immune systems are most susceptible.
West Nile was first discovered in California in 2003. Since its discovery, 101 people have died in California and 2,988 have been sickened from the virus.
(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
