Ventura County Public Health officials say there’s one confirmed case, and two other potential cases of potentially dangerous West Nile Virus in the county.
Because of patient confidentiality laws, the county isn’t releasing specifics about the three cases.
West Nile is a mosquito borne disease. In most cases, people bitten by infected mosquitoes show no symptoms. But, for a small percentage of individuals, it can lead to flu-like symptoms.
For those with weakened immune systems, and the elderly, it can be deadly. County health officials are urging you to use insect repellent if you are outside, and to wear protective clothing, especially around dawn and dusk when mosquito activity is most common.
Tthey say you should make sure you don’t have standing water in old flower pots, buckets, or other containers which might provide breeding areas for the insects.
There is a vaccine available to help horses, which are especially susceptible to the virus, but there isn’t a human version available.