{"id":67348,"date":"2015-10-20T12:36:04","date_gmt":"2015-10-20T19:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theavtimes.com\/?p=67348"},"modified":"2015-10-28T10:29:59","modified_gmt":"2015-10-28T17:29:59","slug":"first-west-nile-virus-death-in-the-antelope-valley-for-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/2015\/10\/20\/first-west-nile-virus-death-in-the-antelope-valley-for-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"First West Nile Virus death in the Antelope Valley for 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"West<\/a>
West Nile Virus is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. View a map of local locations of the positive chickens and mosquito samples here<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

LANCASTER \u2013 The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has reported the first human death due to complications from West Nile Virus in the Antelope Valley for 2015, local authorities announced Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was middle-aged man from Lancaster,\u201d said Karen Mellor of the Antelope Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District (AVMVCD). \u201cWe don\u2019t know where he was exposed to the mosquito bite\u2026 it could have been here or somewhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe must have died pretty quickly because we didn\u2019t get a report of him being sick; we just got the report of him dying,\u201d Mellor added.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis death is a tragic reminder of how severe West Nile Virus can be,\u201d stated AVMVCD Manager Cei Kratz. \u201cPeople need to stay vigilant in protecting themselves and removing potential mosquito breeding sites.\u201d<\/p>\n

The middle-aged Lancaster man, who died last week, was the second human case of West Nile Virus reported in the Antelope Valley for 2015. The first human case was reported in late September. That person is still alive; therefore HIPAA laws prevent officials from disclosing any information on the local human case, according to Mellor.<\/p>\n

The total number of human cases in Los Angeles County to date is 93 with six fatalities.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly one in five people who are infected with WNV will have any symptoms of the disease,\u201d stated AVMVCD Board member Dr. John Manning. \u201cPeople with a weakened immune system or other medical issues are at a higher risk to become sick or die when they are bitten by an infected mosquito.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although the mosquito season in the Antelope Valley is winding down, residents are still urged to remove standing water, especially after the recent rains. Residents should also use insect repellents when outdoors during dusk and dawn, local officials warn.<\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully it gets colder because once the temperature drops under 50 degrees, [West Nile Virus] can\u2019t be transmitted,\u201d Mellor said, adding that the virus dies off in colder temperatures.<\/p>\n

The California Department of Public Health<\/a>, as of Oct. 16, reported West Nile Virus activity in 40 counties in 1,170 dead birds, 2,938 mosquito samples, and 362 sentinel chickens, as well as 366 human cases with 18 fatalities. The Antelope Valley has seen West Nile Virus activity in 24 chickens, two mosquito samples and two human cases with one fatality, according to local authorities. View a map of West Nile Virus-positive chickens and mosquito samples in the Antelope Valley, as of Oct. 19, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tips to\u00a0avoid mosquito bites,\u00a0West Nile Virus infection<\/strong><\/h3>\n

District officials are urging residents to follow these tips to avoid getting mosquito bites and West Nile Virus infection:<\/p>\n