Disease Found to Have Spread Across County
Health officials have found traces of the potentially deadly, mosquito-carried St. Louis encephalitis in Walnut and Claremont, meaning that the disease has spread clear across Los Angeles County.
The presence of the virus was discovered earlier this month by testing “sentinel chickens” that are left outdoors. Earlier this month, it was found in Orange County and in Monterey Park, Long Beach and Griffith Park.
“If you look at a map of the county, it makes a triangle,” said Kenn Fujioka, assistant manager of the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito Abatement District. “We are concerned because that pretty much covers all of the county.”
The virus can cause inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, and children and the elderly are most vulnerable. Health experts have been watching for the disease since an outbreak in 1984 killed six children and infected 20 other Southern Californians.
Health officials advise people to stay indoors during dawn and dusk, or to wear protective clothing and apply mosquito repellent if they go out.
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