Second Bird Infected with West Nile Virus Found in Santa Monica

By Lookout Staff

August 23, 2012 -- Two dead birds infected with the West Nile Virus (WNV) have been found in Santa Monica during the past three months, although it is not clear whether they contracted the virus in the city, according to local officials.

The latest bird, an American Crow, was found dead on July 23 in the area between Ocean Avenue, Montana Avenue and San Vicente Boulevard, according to a press report.

The first bird that tested positive for the virus was found on May 17, Santa Monica officials said.

The virus is transmitted when a mosquito first feeds on birds that carry the virus, then bite a human or animal, City officials said.

Because birds can travel long distances from their nighttime nesting to search for food before returning, the dead birds could have been infected outside Santa Monica, officials said.

"Although positive birds collected in a specific area are significant with respect to trends on a wider basis, it does not definitively identify a specific city, zip code, or location as the site where the actual mosquito bite and infection occurred," officials said.

"A bird infected in one location may die 1 to 10 miles away in another location," they said. "Positive results for sentinel chicken flocks, trapped adult mosquitoes, or squirrels are more specific with respect to the actual infection site."

Residents can protect themselves from WNV by doing the following:

• Apply insect repellent, especially during dawn and dusk while walking or sitting outdoors.

• Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens and no holes to keep out mosquitoes.
  
  
• Eliminate all flowerpots, old car tires, rain gutters, pet bowls and other sources of standing water on your property.

• Ensure that swimming pools, spas, and ponds are properly maintained. If you have an ornamental pond, make an arrangement to pick up free mosquito fish at the District by calling 310-915-7370.

So far this year, there have been 26 reported cases of West Nile Virus in California.

Symptoms of WNV include severe headache, high fever, stiff neck, stupor, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, paralysis or coma, which can lead to long lasting and/or permanent damage to the brain

Residents who see dead birds should call 1-877-WNV-BIRD to have them picked up for analysis.

Additional information about the virus can be found at www.lawestvector.org, where WNV results are updated on a weekly basis.