CONCORD -- A Contra Costa County man has died from West Nile virus -- the first reported county death from the disease since 2006. Contra Costa Health said Friday in a statement that the victim lived in East County. The death was reported to the county on July 16.
The Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District has detected other recent evidence of the virus' presence in East County. One bird and five sentinel chickens have tested positive for the virus in Oakley. "This is a tragedy, and we offer our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones for their loss.
" said Dr. Meera Sreenivasan, deputy county health officer. "This death also reinforces how important it is to reduce risk of West Nile virus infection by reducing our exposure to mosquitos.
" Contra Costa Health hasn't determined where the man became infected. To preserve medical privacy, the county health agency said said it won't release further details about the case. The county said certain birds can become infected with West Nile virus, and when a mosquito feeds on an infected bird, the mosquito can become infected.
An infected mosquito can spread the virus to a human or other animal through a single bite. The infection can be dangerous to humans, with symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, or rash. West Nile virus is typically more active during summer.
To reduce the risk of mosquito bites, the district recommends using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency registered insect repellents containing at l.
