Martinez Waterfront Mosquitoes Test Positive For West Nile Virus

County officials confirmed today that a group of mosquitoes found near the waterfront in Martinez tested positive for West Nile Virus.

Officials from the Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District plan to fog the area on Friday morning.

So far this season, no human cases of West Nile Virus have been reported in the county, according to the California Department of Public Health, which monitors West Nile activity statewide.

County officials have confirmed that three birds found in Oakley, Danville and Pleasant Hill contracted the disease. Mosquitos have tested positive for West Nile in Oakley and Martinez, according to the county officials. One flock of chickens, which the county uses as indicators of the disease’s spread, tested positive in East Contra Costa County near the Holland Riverside Marina.

The chickens are immune to the disease, however. Authorities recommend dumping or draining standing water and applying a mosquito repellent like DEET, Picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus. People should also avoid going outdoors when mosquitoes are present, typically at dawn and dusk.

Residents are encouraged to report any dead birds to the state hotline by calling (877) 968-2473.

For more information about mosquito activity in Contra Costa County, visit www.contracostamosquito.com.

--Bay City News

--Patch file photo