Two Birds Test Positive For West Nile Virus in Santa Cruz County

Two dead birds tested positive for West Nile Virus in Santa Cruz County last month though no human cases have been reported this year, the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency announced Tuesday.

The first dead bird was found on the Upper Westside of Santa Cruz on July 17. It tested positive for chronic West Nile Virus.

The second dead bird, found July 31 near Thurber Lane and Winkle Avenue in Mid-County, tested positive for acute West Nile Virus. The acute infection indicates there are mosquitoes in the area that can transmit the infection, according to Laurie Lang, a Senior Health Educator with the County Health Services Agency.  

Santa Cruz County is not alone in its reports of West Nile Virus. Several other counties in California have identify infections this year. Santa Clara County has been particularly active, Lang said.

The virus is transmitted to humans and animals via the bite of an infected mosquito and is not transmitted by casual person-to-person or animal-to-person contact. Rarely has WNV been transmitted via blood transfusions or organ transplants, Lang said. 

Cats and dogs seem resistant to the virus, but horses can die from the disease. Also, there is no evidence that horses, squirrels or birds can transmit the virus to humans.

There is no human vaccine for West Nile Virus. 

Learn more about how the disease is transmitted by clicking through the oranges slides above.

Report a dead bird or dead tree squirrel by calling 1-877-968-BIRD (2473) or by visiting www.westnile.ca.gov.

Mosquito fish, which eat the immature mosquitoes,  are available from Mosquito & Vector Control for ponds, water features and unused pools.  Call 831-454-2590 for details or go to www.agdept.com/mvc.html.