LAKEPORT, Calif. – Three mosquito samples collected in Lake County tested positive for West Nile virus earlier this month.

The mosquitoes were trapped on July 12 in Kelseyville and July 16 in Lower Lake.

“West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne illness that appears every year throughout California, including Lake County,” said Jamesina Scott, Ph.D., district manager and research director for the Lake County Vector Control District. “Protect yourself from mosquito bites by using an EPA-registered mosquito repellent, especially if you are out at dusk or dawn when mosquitoes are most active.”

The Lake County Vector Control District encourages residents to protect themselves with these steps:

• Eliminate mosquito habitat: Empty and clean any containers that hold water, such as tires, buckets, and planters.
• Maintain swimming pools. Just one neglected swimming pool can produce more than 1 million mosquitoes and affect people up to five miles away.
• Consider mosquito fish: For water sources that cannot be drained, such as ornamental ponds or unmaintained swimming pools, Vector Control offers free mosquito fish to help control mosquito larvae.
• Use insect repellent: Apply an EPA-registered insect repellent containing according to label instructions whenever outdoors.
• Wear protective clothing: When outside during peak mosquito biting times (dawn and dusk), wear long-sleeved shirts and pants.
• Report dead birds to the toll-free state hotline: 1-877-968-2473 or online at https://westnile.ca.gov/report.

“West Nile virus is a serious threat, but by taking these simple precautions, residents can significantly reduce their risk of infection,” Dr. Scott said.

No other West Nile virus has been detected in Lake County in 2024.

In 2023, six Lake County residents fell ill and one died from West Nile virus.

Statewide, 23 California counties have detected the virus this year in mosquitoes and dead birds.

The Lake County Vector Control District provides mosquito control services to our community.

If you need help with a mosquito problem, including reporting a neglected pool or spa, or have an in-ground yellowjacket nest on your property that you want treated, please contact the Lake County Vector Control District at 707-263-4770, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., or submit a service request on the agency’s website at www.lcvcd.org.

For more information about West Nile virus, visit https://westnile.ca.gov/.

Information about mosquito repellents can be found on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/prevention/.