A youth now hospitalized in western Riverside County tested positive for West Nile virus, one of three people statewide infected with WNV so far this year, health officials confirmed Thursday.
“While West Nile is rarely life-threatening, it can occasionally be serious,” county Public Health Officer Dr. Geoffrey Leung said. “The West Nile virus is spread by mosquito bites, and there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of being bitten.”
County health officials didn’t say when the resident was confirmed to be infected and in which specific community, but the minor has since been hospitalized and is expected to fully recover.
The other two human infections were recorded in July — one in Fresno County, and the other in Yuba County, according to the California Department of Public Health.
There was no information on those patients.
No WNV-related fatalities have been reported to date anywhere in the state in 2024.
“It’s important to take precautions to prevent illness, especially for those who are high risk,” Leung said. “High risk groups include people over 60, people with weakened immune systems and those with diabetes, kidney disease or other chronic medical conditions. These groups should take extra precautions.”
In 2023, 21 human WNV infections were documented in Riverside County, none of which resulted in fatalities. No cases were documented in 2022, according to the county Emergency Management Department.
Mosquitoes typically become carriers of the virus after feeding on an infected bird and can then spread the potentially lethal strain to animals and humans.
Symptoms may never materialize, but can include fever, headache, nausea, body aches, skin rashes and swollen lymph nodes.
Mosquito season in Southern California generally spans May to October. To reduce exposure to mosquitoes with WNV, residents are urged to:
— spend as little time as possible outdoors at dawn or dusk, when mosquitoes are generally on the move;
— wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts during outdoor activity in mosquito-prone areas;
— use insect repellent;
— ensure door and window screens are fitted properly to keep bugs out; and
— get rid of standing water, aside from pools properly treated with chemicals.
More information is available at the county Disease Control Dashboard, www.ruhealth.org/public-health/disease-control/disease-watch. The state’s West Nile portal is another resource and can be accessed via westnile.ca.gov/.