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Chickens test positive for West Nile Virus in Palmdale

by The AV Times Staff • July 11, 2016

West Nile Virus is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito.
West Nile Virus is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito.

LANCASTER – Three chickens from a coop in West Palmdale have tested positive for West Nile Virus, bringing the 2016 total to four WNV positive chickens in the Antelope Valley, officials announced Monday. The latest positive chickens came from a coop near 50th Street West and Avenue N, according to the Antelope Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District. [View a map here.]

“Just because the positives have been detected in a certain area does not mean that it’s the only place that has West Nile Virus infected mosquitoes,” said District Manager Cei Kratz. “People all over the AV should protect themselves from mosquito bites and make sure to get rid of standing water.”

District officials urge residents to follow these tips to avoid getting mosquito bites and West Nile Virus infection:

  • Check your property for any standing water from sprinklers or thunder showers, and dump or drain all standing water. Keep swimming pools maintained or completely dry.
  • Dress in light-colored long-sleeved clothes during mosquito activity. Mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn.
  • Defend against mosquitoes by use repellents (i.e., DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, IR3535).
  • Keep screen doors and windows in good repair and close them.
  • Turn on fans to keep mosquitoes away.
  • Don’t use bug zappers near your patio – they attract more mosquitoes than they kill.

The California Department of Public Health, as of July 8, reported West Nile Virus activity from 31 counties in 435 dead birds, 607 mosquito samples, and 12 sentinel chickens.

To stay up-to-date on West Nile Virus activity and mosquito-related information in the Antelope Valley, visit www.avmosquito.org.

For more information, contact the Antelope Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District at 661-942-2917.

Previous related story: West Nile Virus season begins in the Antelope Valley

[Information via news release from the Antelope Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District.]

Filed Under: Health, Lancaster

6 comments for "Chickens test positive for West Nile Virus in Palmdale"

  1. jack says

    July 29, 2016 at 9:21 am

    There has been an increase of WNV in the valley which corresponds to the importation of green waste from the valley. The companies do not cook the green waste. (compost it under heat for 60 days, which kills bugs and pathogens). When they grind up trees, grass and other waste to spread on the ground, the also grind up bugs and pathogens that survive the grinding process and are trucked to our valley as soon as it is ground up without processing. This carries all the ground up critters and undesirables that would be destroyed if the compost was in fact compost (wet and turned under heat for 60 days).

  2. TM says

    July 12, 2016 at 6:38 am

    Has nothing to do with being vegan , west Nile is transmitted through an infected mosquito bite, not from eating the chicken!

    • Tim Scott says

      July 12, 2016 at 6:44 am

      We need the mosquitoes to become vegans!

      • Eric says

        July 12, 2016 at 8:45 am

        According to Vegans, everything has to do with being Vegan. They always celebrate whenever meat, poultry, or fish becomes infected.

        • Tim Scott says

          July 12, 2016 at 10:06 am

          I don’t actually know any vegans, so can’t say how true this is.

  3. Eric says

    July 11, 2016 at 8:17 pm

    Every time a chicken is diagnosed with West Nile, a Vegan sprouts another arm pit hair. Fist bumps and high fives at the smoothie bar! Whoops, someone killed a microscopic dust mite…no more fist bumps.

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