4 Dead Birds With West Nile Virus Found in County

WALNUT CREEK, CA — Three more dead birds found in Walnut Creek have tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV), according to the Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control District.

Most people infected with WNV will not experience any symptoms. However, some experience serious complications or death. In California last year, a record 45 people died from the virus. Here are the symptoms, according tot he US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC):

▪ Serious Symptoms in a Few People. About 1 in 150 people infected with WNV will develop severe illness.
The severe symptoms can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors,
convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. These symptoms may last several weeks,
and neurological effects may be permanent.
▪ Milder Symptoms in Some People. Up to 20 percent of the people who become infected will have
symptoms which can include fever, headache, bodyaches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen
lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Symptoms can last for as short as a few days to
as long as several weeks.
▪ No Symptoms in Most People. Approximately 80 percent of people who are infected with WNV will not
show any symptoms at all, but there is no way to know in advance if you will develop an illness or not.

WNV is spread by mosquitoes, which lay their eggs in standing water. With the prevalence of the virus in the county, it's important to check around your home and make sure there's no standing water following the weekend storms. Check the basins around flower pots, toys, gardening tools and more.

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