Crow in Simi Had Nile Virus

A crow found dead in Simi Valley earlier this month has tested positive for West Nile virus, the second wild bird in Ventura County to contract the disease this year.

The crow was found near Longbranch Road and Stonebrook Street on July 2, and results from a laboratory at UC Davis were received Friday, said Randy Smith, a manager with the county’s Environmental Health Division.

Another crow was found dead of the disease in mid-April in Ojai. Smith said 43 birds have been collected in the county and sent for testing since Jan. 1, with only the two testing positive so far.

Mosquitoes, which feed on infected birds, transmit the disease to animals and humans. No locally acquired human cases of West Nile have been reported, and about 20% of people infected feel the flu-like symptoms, including fever, nausea, headaches and body aches. The disease causes death in fewer than 1% of cases.

“We’ve doubled our efforts regarding monitoring and treating the known mosquito sources in the area,” Smith said.

He said eight mosquito traps were set up Monday in the area where the Simi Valley bird was found.

The goal is to collect enough live mosquitoes, especially the Culex tarsalis species linked to West Nile virus, to determine how prevalent the disease is in the local insect population.

The disease has been discovered in more than two dozen horses in Riverside and San Bernardino counties this year, resulting in 11 equine deaths, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Smith suggested that horse owners get their animals vaccinated after consulting with a veterinarian. He urged everyone to take standard precautions in dealing with mosquitoes: Eliminate standing water from property, such as buckets, barrels, ornamental ponds or infrequently used swimming pools; limit outdoor activity at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are more active, and wear insect repellent, long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outside.