West Nile’s arrival only matter of time

Deepa Bharath

The West Nile Virus has not quite reached Newport-Mesa yet, but its

only a matter of time, Orange County health officials said Friday.

California’s first fatality as a result of the virus was reported

Thursday when a 57-year-old man died of the infection. Heath care

officials are not identifying the man or releasing information about

his place of residence.

Most local cases of infected birds and animals have been reported

in North Orange County. Recently some infected birds have been found

in Huntington Beach and Seal Beach, said Howard Sutter, a spokesman

for the Orange County Health Care Agency.

“Just because it’s a coastal area, it doesn’t mean the virus can’t

thrive there,” he said. “We have proof of that now.”

People who live all over the county should treat this as a wake-up

call and take the necessary precautions, Sutter said.

The West Nile virus was first detected in the United States in

1999 and has since spread to 46 states, including California.

Most people who become infected with the virus do not experience

symptoms or become ill, he said. As many as 20% may experience mild

to moderate symptoms, but only one out of 150 people infected will

experience the most serious complications, officials said.

Anyone who develops symptoms such as a high fever, confusion,

muscle weakness, severe headaches or a stiff neck should seek medical

care immediately, Sutter said. Adults over 50 are at increased risk

of developing those symptoms, he said.

People should be watchful wherever they go, Sutter said.

“They may live in one town where the virus may not have been found

yet, but they may be working or traveling to another city where it’s

present,” he said.

There is, however, good news for residents of Newport-Mesa. Recent

mosquito collections in the Back Bay have yielded far fewer catches,

said Mike Hearst, a spokesman for Orange County Vector Control.

In June 2003, 2,604 mosquitoes were caught in the five traps set

in the San Joaquin Marsh in the Back Bay, he said. Last month, only

25 were caught, Hearst said.

“The numbers are telling,” he said. “They show us that we’ve been

successful in our educational efforts about not letting water

stagnate because that’s what allows the mosquitoes to breed.”

Fewer mosquitoes also means a smaller chance of contracting the

deadly virus, Hearst said.

On Friday, Assemblyman Ken Maddox, who represents Costa Mesa, was

appointed by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez to the newly created

Select Committee on the West Nile Virus, a day after reports linked

the Orange County man to the virus.

Orange County has been preparing for West Nile Virus for several

years, Maddox said.

“But this is not just a problem for Orange County,” he said. “It’s

a statewide issue that calls for a comprehensive strategy.”

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.