Butte County continues to report more human cases of West Nile virus than most California counties, even as local health officials say this year’s count is not out of the ordinary for the area.
The county reported its second virus-related death of the year Wednesday. It has recorded 11 cases so far, accounting for nearly a fifth of all cases statewide, according to the state’s West Nile virus tracker.
Dr. Jarett Beaudoin, health officer with the Butte County Public Health Department, said the county typically sees more activity of the virus than other parts of California and even some neighboring states.
“We have more cases than the entire state of Nevada, than the entire state of Oregon. Butte County is unfortunately one of these hot spots.”- Dr. Jarett Beaudoin, health officer with the Butte County Public Health Department
“We have more cases than the entire state of Nevada, than the entire state of Oregon,” Beaudoin said. “Butte County is unfortunately one of these hot spots.”
Beaudoin said there’s no single explanation for why Butte County sees so many cases, but he pointed to its location along the Pacific Flyway and the region’s many rice fields as possible factors.
Both are tied to how West Nile spreads. The virus is transmitted through mosquito bites, and mosquitoes become infected when they feed on birds carrying the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Standing water also creates places for mosquitoes to breed.
“In order to grow rice you have to flood the fields,” Beaudoin said. “That flooding leads to more mosquitoes because mosquitoes lay their eggs in water. So we just have a lot more water in Butte County than some of the other surrounding counties.”
“In order to grow rice you have to flood the fields. That flooding leads to more mosquitoes because mosquitoes lay their eggs in water. So we just have a lot more water in Butte County than some of the other surrounding counties.”- Dr. Jarett Beaudoin, Butte County Public Health Department
Beaudoin said most people infected with West Nile won’t develop symptoms and can fight off the virus on their own. But older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill.
Public Health announced the first death from West Nile virus-related complications on Aug. 13. That person was between 80 and 90. The most recent person to die was between 70 and 80.
People can reduce their risk of mosquito bites by draining standing water around their homes, Beaudoin said. Mosquitoes can breed in even small amounts of water.
He also recommends wearing clothing that covers exposed skin when outdoors around dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active, and using insect repellent approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, whether it includes DEET, picaridin or essential oils.
“I think there's a lot of good options for everyone to put on that insect spray,” Beaudoin said, “especially if they've forgotten to wear pants or long sleeves and they're out in the evening or at nighttime.”
Outside of Butte County's two deaths, Glenn, Sacramento and Kern counties have each reported one death, according to state data.
