LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Vector Control District confirmed that a sentinel chicken and three mosquito samples tested positive for West Nile virus this week.

The sentinel chicken was from a flock in Upper Lake. Two of the positive mosquito samples were from Anderson March and one was from the city of Clearlake, officials reported.

Last month, five mosquito samples from Lower Lake and Anderson Marsh were positive for West Nile virus. In June, a black-headed grosbeak from Clearlake tested positive for West Nile virus.

No human cases of West Nile virus have been reported in Lake County this year, officials said.

Since 2007, the first year that WNV was detected in Lake County, nine residents have become ill from West Nile virus.

In total, West Nile virus has been detected in eight mosquito samples, one dead bird, and one sentinel chicken in Lake County this year, according to the Lake County Vector Control District.

“We’re in the peak of the West Nile virus season,” said Jamesina Scott, Ph.D., district manager and research director for the Lake County Vector Control District. “Our trained and certified vector control technicians are inspecting and treating mosquito sources to protect our community.”

Officials urge people to protect themselves and their families from mosquito bites and West Nile virus by using mosquito repellent and dumping out any standing water on your property.

Lake County Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait recommends avoidance of mosquito bites as the best protection against WNV.

“‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ has never been more true,” said Tait. “Since there is no specific treatment for the virus, the best approach is to avoid exposure to mosquito bites.”

Residents are urged to help reduce their risk of contracting West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne diseases by following these guidelines:

– Dump or drain standing water. Mosquitoes grow in standing water.
– Defend yourself with mosquito repellents containing Picaridin, DEET, IR 3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, or PMD. Need help finding a repellent to meet your needs? The Environmental Protection Agency has a search tool to help you choose the repellent that is right for you at https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/find-insect-repellent-right-you#search tool.
– Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are biting, typically dawn and dusk.
– Maintain swimming pools. Just one neglected swimming pool can produce more than 1 million mosquitoes and affect people up to five miles away.
– Report dead birds to the state hotline: 1-877-968-2473 or online at http://www.westnile.ca.gov/report_wnv.php. All reports are crucial.

Residents with questions about West Nile virus or who would like help with a mosquito problem can contact the Lake County Vector Control District at 707-263-4770, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., or visit the district’s Web site at www.lcvcd.org .