MOSQUITO CONTROL MOVES TO LEVEL THREE
Elk Grove — The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District announced today that one sentinel chicken located in the Natomas area of Sacramento County tested positive for West Nile virus.
There are a total of 15 sentinel chicken flocks of six chickens each in both Sacramento and Yolo counties and the District collects and tests blood samples on a weekly basis.
When an infected mosquito bites a sentinel, the chicken will not become ill, instead it will develop antibodies toward the virus. The detection of such antibodies in chickens allows the District to track and monitor virus activity to be able to better reduce transmission to humans.
“Finding the virus in sentinel chickens is a warning sign for residents that West Nile virus transmission is occurring,” said Gary Goodman, District Assistant Manager.
As a result of finding the West Nile positive chicken, the District will continue to implement its mosquito management plan to protect public health and welfare. This plan includes extensive mosquito trapping around the area where the virus has been detected as well as ground and/or aerial treatments to reduce the numbers of adult mosquitoes.
For current information about any treatments planned, please visit www.FIGHTtheBITE.net. Residents may also subscribe to mailing lists to receive email notifications for mosquito treatments by zip code. To sign up go to Spray Notifications on the website.
“We recommend that community members take proper precautions such as draining standing water around the house and wearing an effective repellent during times of high mosquito activity.”
Today I had an excellent encounter with a member of the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District.
Yesterday morning I reported a dirty pool of a vacant property near our area, on El Centro Road, just south of Arena Blvd. I used the “Request Inspection” form on FIGHTtheBITE.net via the Web browser on my smartphone. This morning I received a phone call from one of their technicians (“Guy”), standing beside the pool in question. He assured me that although the pool is dirty, the mosquitofish he placed in the pool a year ago are still alive and doing their job well.
I was impressed by their quick response to my request and am relieved to know that the house in question is not likely to be a source of West Nile Virus anytime soon!