Concerns Mount Over Spread Of West Nile Virus In Orange County
BUENA PARK (CBSLA.com) — Concerns are mounting in Orange County over the spread of the potentially deadly West Nile virus.
Three human fatalities have been recorded in Santa Ana, Huntington Beach and Seal Beach this year.
And one homeowner tells KCAL9's Crystal Cruz, she believes she's discovered a sign of the disease in her Buena Park neighborhood after finding several dead crows in the area.
"It was one morning; we were walking and we found a bird right there," she said, pointing to a residential street corner.
The concerned mom says the Orange County Vector Control confirmed one of the birds she shot video of tested positive for the West Nile virus and was infected by a mosquito.
"I said, 'There has to be a way to notify the people in the neighborhood.' So, that's why I called you," she said.
According to O.C. Vector Control spokesman Robert Cummings, Aguilar's fears have some merit.
"We see a lot of dead crows in an area. That means there must be some high West Nile transmission," he said.
Cummings showed KCAL9 the agency's refrigerator filled with dead birds, most of them crows.
Cruz reports Santa Ana has the largest number of dead birds at 65 infected with West Nile, followed by Anaheim, Orange and Huntington Beach.
The reason behind the high numbers in these areas is under investigation.
"These things will go in cycles. They will affect certain areas of state or nation more intensely than others," Cummings said.
The county had plans to fog Tuesday but that's been postponed due to the weather.
Officials recommend those in affected areas apply repellent when outdoors, wear long pants and shirts and keep windows and doors closed.
